Jose René Villafaña Nuñez- Funeral Expenses

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I share with you all the loss of my stepdad, Jose Rene, to Covid-19 on Saturday May 9th.  Honestly, it is still surreal because I had just spoke to him on Tuesday and we really thought he would overcome this virus. On April 20th, he started to feel alarming symptoms and by April 22nd, we received the news that he tested positive for Covid-19. The very next day, he was hospitalized because he was having a difficult time breathing. We stayed in contact every day and some days were good and other days were bad. Pneumonia was the lethal contributor to his condition. He was then placed in the ICU shortly after and although he was weak, my stepdad stayed optimistic. He assured us that he would beat this. He was always very strong and brave. Unfortunately, on Tuesday he took a turn for the worst. I spoke with his nurse that morning and she told me that they were going to have to put him on a ventilator and we no longer be able to talk or text. Little did I know that it was going to be the last time I heard his voice. The following days were hard because we could not be by his side and did not know what to expect. It seemed as though he was making progress, but Saturday was the day he lost the battle. This news hit us very suddenly and as expected, this has been extremely challenging in these unprecedented times. With your help we will be able to give him the proper funeral ceremony. These funds will help with funeral and cremation services. Your contribution will bring ease to the stress of high costs especially during this time. He will be cremated and we would like to take his ashes to his mom and siblings in Mexico. Any amount will help, and if you are not able to help at this time please share and keep us in your prayers. Thank you all very much.

If you did not have the honor of meeting my stepdad, here is an obituary we put together.



It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jose Rene Villafaña, on Saturday, May 9, 2020. Jose was born in Guanajuato on April 2,1964 to Juana Nuñez and Juan Villafaña. Rene was a soft -spoken man who valued education and family. He was a loving and proud brother to his three siblings, Jaime, Juani and Guadalupe, and loving uncle to his only nephew Alfredo. Jose was a devoted son who would call his mother in Mexico every day in the evening no matter how busy his day had been.

 After immigrating to the United States, Jose pursued a career as a financial consultant. Most recently, he worked as a home loan consultant at X-Pert Mortgage in Lyons, IL. A few years, later after moving to the United States, he met and married Maribel, became a devoted husband and an affectionate father to Karina, Michael, and Stephany. His reliability and strong work ethic went hand in hand with his persistent dedication to always put family first. After the sudden death of his little angel, Karina, at only 3 years old, Jose lost a piece of himself but remained strong for his loved ones. Shortly thereafter, he lost his beloved father and it made him appreciate the fragility of life.

 These losses transformed Jose into a compassionate and understanding person who had an unlimited amount of love and support for his family, friends, and co-workers. Through life’s struggles, Jose maintained a fighting spirit right up to the moment of his death. He was determined to win his battle with Covid-19 because he wanted live and continue to help others. Sadly, God had better plans for him in heaven and he called him home to be reunited with his daughter and father. Jose is survived by a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends who will miss him dearly. Jose will always remain in our hearts and because of this, he will live forever.