Ileana Wiesse

Ileana Wiesse, 95, passed away on September 2, 2026, in Arlington, Texas, surrounded by the love of the family to whom she had devoted so much of her life.

Ileana was born on January 18, 1931, in Callao, Peru, to Carlos O. Perez and Josefina A. Vega de Perez. She grew up in Callao and Lima as the second oldest of five sisters: , Norah, Ileana, Myriam, Doris, and Marlene.

From a very young age, Ileana possessed an extraordinary instinct to care for others. Because her mother had her at a young age, Ileana gradually assumed a special role within the family, becoming almost a second mother to her younger sisters and, in her own gentle and loving way, even caring for and looking after her mother. It was the beginning of a pattern that would define her entire life: Ileana took care of people.

She married Jorge D. Wiesse, and together they spent two years living in Honduras before returning to Peru shortly before the birth of their only son, Carlos, in 1961. In 1978, Ileana, Jorge, and Carlos began a new chapter when they immigrated to the United States and settled in Denton, Texas. They later moved to Dallas and eventually to Arlington, which Carmen would call home for more than 40 years.

Ileana lost her beloved husband, Jorge, on September 26, 1986. Even after experiencing that profound loss, she continued doing what she had always done—opening her heart and her home to the people she loved. She welcomed both of her parents into her home and cared for them during their later years. Years later, she also opened her home to her sister Myriam and cared for her near the end of her life. Both her mother and her sister Myriam spent their final days in Ileana's home, surrounded by her care and love.

Ileana was, in many ways, the glue that held her extended family together. Her sisters, nieces, nephews, and generations of family members could look to her for support, guidance, comfort, and unconditional love. She was the family's moral compass—a person whose kindness, generosity, and quiet example reminded those around her of the importance of doing what was right and caring for one another.

She had a remarkable ability to put the needs of others before her own. If someone needed help, Ileana was there. Her generosity extended far beyond her immediate family to friends and others fortunate enough to become part of her life. She gave freely of herself, not because she expected recognition or anything in return, but simply because helping and loving people was part of who she was.

Ileana also found great joy in creating things with her hands. She loved crafts of all kinds and could always find something beautiful or useful to make. She was also a wonderful cook, and like so many things in Carmen's life, cooking became another way of expressing her love and bringing people together.

Above all, Ileana was a wonderful and deeply devoted mother and grandmother.  To her son she was a constant source of love, encouragement, and support. She was someone he could always count on, through every stage of life. Her devotion to her family continued through the next generation, and she treasured being a grandmother to Ana Lucia Wiesse and Elio Paolo Wiesse.

Ileana is survived by her son, Carlos Wiesse; her daughter-in-law, Zaira Camerin; her grandchildren, Ana Lucia Wiesse and Elio Paolo Wiesse; her sister, Marlene Razetto ; and the many nieces, nephews, relatives, and dear friends whose lives she touched.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jorge D. Wiesse; her parents, Carlos O. Perez and Josefina A. Vega de Perez; and her sisters Norah, Myriam, and Doris.

Ileana's legacy cannot be measured simply by the years she lived, but by the lives she cared for and the love she left behind. For more than nine decades, she gave of herself—to her parents, her sisters, her husband, her son, her grandchildren, her extended family, and her friends.

She was a caregiver, a source of strength, a moral compass, and the heart of her family.

Those who loved Ileana will remember her generosity, her cooking, her creativity, her gentle strength, and above all, the extraordinary way she cared for others. Her example will remain with her family for generations.

She spent her life taking care of the people she loved. And she was deeply loved in return.