Liliana Aguirre Bustos

Liliana Haydee Aguirre Bustos, “Lili”, of Chicago’s Andersonville and West Edgewater neighborhood; pioneer in America, spit fire cyclist, plant mom, and Chilean empanada goddess; passed away peacefully February 3, 2025 after a cardiac event. Her strong heart fought the good fight for decades. Born in Santiago, Chile, Lili attended Catholic Schools. She was very close to her father, who died when she was twelve, and she was tasked with raising her younger siblings. Strong and independent, Lili studied at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile before taking a job at the phone company. Lili was 25 when she impressed a visiting American research doctor who brought her to Glencoe, Illinois to nanny and to teach the kids Spanish and Italian. On her days off, Lili and friends would head to Great Lakes Naval Base to dance and socialize with sailors. A tragic and fatal house fire changed the course of Lili’s journey and she moved from Glencoe to Chicago. In the1970’s Lili gave birth to her only child. Over the years, the family of two moved from Wrigleyville to Rogers Park to Andersonville. A single mother, Lili worked two and three jobs at a time including Red’s Cleaners in Rogers Park, All State Insurance Company, and Dard Promotional Products in Evanston. In 1979, St. Mary of The Lake Catholic Church sent Lili to school for her Associate’s Degree in Social Services. Lili worked for outreach programs in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood for two decades and continued helping the senior community as a homemaker until retirement. She enjoyed her neighbors and community at Peterson Plaza Apartments. Lili raised her only child to be an independent, strong, and capable woman. She also helped many Hispanic newcomers to Chicago settle in and find jobs. Lili sewed, knitted, and made jewelry, having learned metal-working while watching her father build racing bikes in Chile. She had a green thumb for indoor plants, was a longtime member of the Chilean Club of Chicago, and made amazing Chilean empanadas, Cola de Mono, y Pan de Pascua. She loved her tangos and boleros and calling her favorite radio station in the AM to make requests weekly. A mom to all of her daughter’s friends, who would be like her own children, especially Carlos Rosario, Victor Irie, Kathy Thacker and Tamara Perry. In retirement, she worked with Tamara Perry to obtain data for Northwestern University and U of C, assisting with research projects, riding her bike every day from Andersonville to Hyde Park, Evanston, and Skokie. Bicycling was Lili’s main enjoyment in life. She carried her own bike kit and repaired her own flat tires until her 80’s. Despite the pleas of family, she never wore a helmet, so as to not mess up her hair. When Lili moved into a healthcare center recently, she donated all of her furniture to Venezuelan refugees. Lili is survived by her daughter Julia “Julie” Aguirre-Garcia and son-in-law Daniel Garcia, of Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. Tia Lili to Claudia, Christian (Merilee), Katherine (Maurcio), and Giselle (Dean) and Tia-buela to Marco Ryan, Jacob Daniel, Olivia Perry, and Lukas, Gabriel and Yvez, Giselle and countless nephews and nieces in Chile and Sweden. Loving sister of Gladys Aguirre Veliz, Raquel Aguirre-Merino Marcos Julio Aguirre, and Pedro Nolasco Aguirre, Jr.; dear friend of Nana Brito. Fond in-law of Caroline and the late Efren Garcia. Preceded in death by parents Pedro Nolasco Aguire Funtes and Julia Bustos Bastias vda De Aguirre; siblings Myrian Aguirre Jimenez, Ronald Jack Aguirre, and Mario Waldo Aguirre; and dear friends Elba “Pinocha” and Eduardo Larrea. Burial of cremated remains 12noon, Saturday, June 7, Calvary Cemetery, 301 Chicago Ave., Evanston 60202. Please meet inside front gate of cemetery by 11:45am for procession to the gravesite. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the American Heart Association, www.heart.org. Wear Red for Women ❤️ Arrangements by Inclusive Funeral Care, 773-370-2959 or www.InclusiveFuneralCare.com.