Laura Sonia Gajardo

Laura Sonia Gajardo

01/07/1942 – 09/29/2024

Laura Sonia Espinoza Reyes, was born in Santiago, Chile. Her father left the family when she was twelve years old, leaving her, her mother, Maria Luisa, and three brothers, Ricardo, Victor, Juan, alone. Back in those days, mothers didn’t work so Laura started working at that age to help support the family. Although she was told she was too young to work, her persistence got her a job. She began by sewing buttons on coats and quickly learned to cut patterns for different clothes, becoming very proficient at it. In a couple of years, she sewed dresses and children’s clothing, and then began designing them at a small company in Santiago Chile.

She met her first and only love, Hector Manuel Gajardo Berrios, at age fourteen. When she was twenty-two years old, they married under the condition that he would have to accept not only her, but her mother and three brothers. After they married, she quit working as a seamstress and designer, and instead started a business with Hector which was a Mini market in their neighborhood that did very well. In 1970, her sister-in-law invited them to visit the U.S. When they returned, they made the life altering decision of bringing everyone in the family to the U.S. for the chance of living the American dream.

In the U.S. she began working as a cook’s helper at the Holiday Inn in Bethesda, MD but soon was assigned to help with Banquets, where she mastered her culinary skills. She made amazing fruit sculptures and beautiful food presentations. Through hard work and perseverance, she and her husband opened several businesses, such as la Posada bakery in Silver Spring MD, The Olive Tree restaurant in Washington D.C.,   Angelic’s night club on H street, and ultimately the famous Capricorn Deli near Dupont Circle on P Street, named after both of their astrological sign. The Deli offered international foods including traditional Chilean foods for the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia community. After all that, she then ventured into the catering business. Working first at Ridgewell catering company, then to Marriott catering services. Soon she started her own catering services called Laly’s Services. They provided catering and hospitality services to different venues such as, Howard University, Morgan State University, Towson University, Northern Virginia Community College, and Bowie State University.

She also found the time to help others and worked to raise funds via a charitable organization which, helped to bring the first cochlear implant to a deaf child in Chile. Later she helped sponsor the child’s visit to the USA after the successful surgery.

With others, she created a prominent Chilean community in DMV area that is still going strong today. She and her brother Juan started a Chilean group called “Centro Cultural Chileno” where new generations learned how to dance folkloric dances and represented Chile at different events. She and the family were the first folks at the “Festival Latino Americano” (now “Fiesta DC”) to represent Chile in the parade. They also sold food at the festival.

In 2007, Laura, Hector, their daughter Maria and grandchildren Anais and Alina moved back to Chile where she started another business called “Capricorn Too”.  In 2010 Hector got sick and passed away. Sometime thereafter they returned to the U.S.

Laura was the alpha in every business venture she started. An unstoppable force when it came to providing for her and her family. Decades later, her vision has been realized. Her entire family is financially sound, with the younger generation having plenty of opportunities they wouldn't have been given back in Chile. Their successes are because of her sacrifices. During her incredible life she touched many people’s lives for the better.

She was a big inspiration to her children, Gladys (Yoli), Maria, and Hector Jr., to her 6 grandchildren, Francisco, Anais, Kristina, Alina, Sophie, and Emma, to her great-grandchild, Martin, to her surviving brother Juan and his family and to all the people who knew her. She taught everyone that sometimes the scariest life altering decisions can turn out the most amazing and unimaginable results if you believe, stand your ground and work hard.

To say her passing leaves a big void in her family is an understatement.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Laura Sonia Gajardo, please visit our floral store.