Obituaries

Her second husband, Kermit Culver, died in 1982.

Survivors include a son from her first marriage, Richard Lee Carlson of Arlington County; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

-- Matt Schudel

Elvira Reyes SighuasStore Owner

Elvira Reyes Sighuas, 73, who owned and operated several health food stores in metropolitan Washington, died Sept. 30 of a brain aneurysm at Inova Fairfax Hospital. She lived in Centreville.

Ms. Sighuas, a native of the Philippines, immigrated to the Washington area in 1967. She was an accountant with a mortgage broker in Arlington for 10 years, then worked at a GNC health and vitamin store for two years.

In 1979, she opened Food for Health, a health-food and nutrition store in Arlington. She later renamed the business A-1 Nutrition Stop and expanded with stores in Washington and Centreville, which she managed with her daughters. She retired in 2000.

Ms. Sighuas was born on Mindoro Island, Philippines, and received a college athletic scholarship for her swimming talent. She was a graduate of the University of the East in Manila, with a degree in banking and finance.

She lived in Arlington before moving to Centreville about 10 years ago. She enjoyed assisting elderly neighbors by driving them to medical appointments and stores. She also enjoyed playing bingo and visiting casinos.

Her marriages to Gaudencio Martinez and Elmer Sighuas ended in divorce.

Survivors include five children from her first marriage, Jen Martinez-Bentley of Virginia Beach, Mike Martinez of Silver Spring, JoMay Schleicher of Raleigh, N.C., Alexander Martinez of Pensacola, Fla., and Mark Martinez of Kathleen, Ga.; two brothers, Ewaldus Reyes of Arlington and Ephraim Reyes of Sydney; two sisters, Edith Morales of Reston and Edelwina Fontanilla of Gainesville; and eight grandchildren.