Pura Livas

To view the flowers and plants from Pura's service access Pura Livas Flowers
Pura Corbo Livas, 92, formerly of Illinois, died Tuesday, December 3, 2024 in her daughter Marilou Pugatch's home in Minot, ND surrounded by her loving family.
The second eldest of nine children, Pura was born on April 8, 1932 to Lope and Anatolia Corbo in Cebu, Philippines.
Born with an industrious, hard work ethic, as a child Pura used to pick and sell fruit on the streets to buy food for her family during World War II. Known as a fashionista and for her generosity among her friends, Pura also enjoyed singing and acting. As an adult, she graduated from the Velez College of Nursing with an RN degree and served as the first nurse on the initial floating Hospital Boat in the Philippines.
After marrying her best friend, Dr. Cipriano C. Livas, they settled down in Mindanao, a Southern Island in the Philippines. Their family grew with the birth of Marilou (1962), Daniel (1964), Cipriano C. Livas, Jr. (1966), Marianna (1967). In 1967, Pura won the Philippine lottery and was invited to move to the United States in 1967 as part of President Johnson's US Immigration Act to recruit foreign healthcare workers from abroad. Leaving her 4 children with her parents, she and Dr. Livas stayed on the sofas of friends in Chicago before eventually bringing their children to Chicago in 1969. Their final child, Mia, was born in Chicago in 1972.
In Chicago, Dr. Cipriano and Pura opened the Belmont Medical and Dental Clinic where Pura served as Office Manager. Meanwhile, Dr. Cipriano finished abdominal surgery residency and served in two local hospitals. Pura eventually sold the building and business in 1995, after Dr. Livas' death. Pura went on to work as a nurse in nursing homes, eventually ascending to Director of Nursing.
In her later years, she found joy in traveling to religious sites, gambling at slot machines in Vegas, playing mah jong with her circle of friends, and being with her family, especially her grandchildren.
She is survived by her four children: Marilou (Bruce) Pugatch and Daniel Livas of Minot, ND; Marianna (Michael) Vranicar of Scottsdale, AZ; and Mia (Michael) Porter of Los Angeles, CA; her grandchildren: Jadon Pugatch; Michael Jr., McKenna and Melaina Vranicar; and Jackson and Duncan Porter; her siblings: Fe (Julian) Bacotot, Priscilla (Tony) Sy, Vivina (Peter) Bihag, Camilo Corbo (Marilou), and Lourdes (Bernardo) Livas.
She was preceded in death by her husband Cipriano C. Livas Sr. and son, Cipriano C. Livas, Jr.
Public Visitation: Saturday, December 7, 2024 from 10:00am-11:00am, followed by a Liturgy of the Word Service from 11:00am-12:00 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
A Memorial will be held in Chicago, IL in the Spring.