MUSCATINE, Iowa – Imelda Peña Luna, 83, of Muscatine, passed away on Wednesday, November 11, 2022 after a very short illness, at her home, surrounded by her family.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15, 2022, at St. Mathias Church. The Reverend Khoa Le will officiate. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 14, 2022, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.wittichfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to Ss. Mary and Mathias Parish.

Imelda was born on October 11, 1939, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, the daughter of Jeronimo and Eudelia Gongora Peña.

She was dedicated to every former employer since she arrived in Muscatine in 1967, including Thatcher’s Plastic Packaging, Louis Rich, Ring King, Knott Printers, Bandag, and Tidewater Direct. Of course, she was best known for her cooking and recipes at Imelda’s Mexican Restaurant. She loved gathering with her extended family, planting and caring for her annual flowers, cooking, and sitting on her deck to enjoy a Marlboro and a cold Coors Light. She was especially proud to be the Matriarch of her family.

Imelda will be deeply missed by her children, Nora Alvidrez and her husband, Jose, of Muscatine, Haydee Avalos and her significant other, Lee Williams, of Muscatine, Yazmin Stewart and her husband, Doug, of Muscatine, Nancy Long and her husband, Troy, of Muscatine, Rosy Eichelberger and her husband, John, of Muscatine, and Mario Smith and his wife, Chastity, of Hawthorne, California; grandchildren Jose Alvidrez II, Marissa Bierman and her husband, RJ, Terrin Brown and significant other, Seth Shoemaker, Gary Brown III, Korey Brown, Darcee Norris and her husband Michael, Ty Parchert and significant other, Makayla Larson, Alex Stewart and his wife, Ashley, Kiefer Avalos, Sam Stewart, Emma Covault and her husband, Ryan, Anthony Long and his wife Alissa, TJ Long, Cassie Miller and her husband, Chuck, Cody “Edward” Austin and his wife Monica, Ellen Eichelberger and significant other Brian MacArthur, Sam Eichelberger and his wife, Sarah, and Iyla Smith; great-grandchildren, Aurelie, Gabriel, Micah, Kaitlyn, Claire, Carter, Maylee, Aubree, Felix, Kane, Kohen, Gavin, Austen, Riley, Olivia, Charlotte, Rhynn, Catalina, Adam, Roy, Daniel, and Florence; siblings, Jose Peña of Muscatine, E. Mario Peña and his wife, Diane, of Corona, California, L. Viola Peña of Muscatine, Lupita DeLaPaz of Muscatine, Haydee Peña Rozell and her husband Rick of Iowa City; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husbands Mario Robles, Enrique Avalos, and Augusto Luna.