It is with broken hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Liza Anne Penalosa, of Charlotte, North Carolina, on November 4, 2025. She was 51 years old.

Born on October 8, 1974, Liza spent her formative years in Northern Virginia. She was a graduate of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic School (OLGC) in Vienna, VA and Bishop O'Connell High School, Class of 1992 in Arlington, VA. While she attended Marymount University and George Mason University, Liza was never defined by the classroom. Instead, she was defined by her hustle. A fiercely work-driven individual, she possessed an entrepreneurial spirit that was matched only by her devotion to those she loved.

Liza was the founding owner of "Lupa," a business specializing in rare indoor and outdoor plants. She poured her soul into her work, determined to grow her company with the same care and resilience she applied to her own life. She loved her plants deeply, finding beauty in the unique and the wild.

Above all else, Liza’s world revolved around her 11-year-old daughter, Charlotte "Charlie" Paige Davis. As a single mother, Liza was driven by a singular purpose: to provide the best possible life for Charlie. Her love for her daughter was ferocious and unconditional. She loved Charlie with all her soul and would give anything in the world to make Charlie's life a little bit better.

To her family, Liza was known affectionately—and undeniably—as the "black sheep." She lived life on her own terms, doing what she wanted, when she wanted. She was a complex and beautiful force of nature; she could be the hardest person to deal with, yet simultaneously the sweetest. She was the most determined person we knew, and her love, though sometimes tough, was always profound.

Liza often shared a sentiment that feels especially poignant now: "Sisters are different flowers from the same garden."

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Charlie; her mother, Alice Penalosa; her brother, Mark Penalosa (Haley Hawkins); and her sister, Tricia Sandiego (Marco Sandiego). She was a proud aunt to her nieces, Laney Sandiego, Riley Penalosa, and Madison Penalosa, and her nephew, Caleb Sandiego. Liza is reunited in peace with her father, Charles Penalosa, who preceded her in death.

Liza was taken from us far too soon, leaving a void that can never be filled. As her brother Mark noted, "My sister lifted me up all my life, now it's our turn to lift her."

A funeral mass will be held in Liza's honor on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 10:00AM, at St Anthony Catholic Church (3305 Glen Carlyn Rd, Falls Church, VA 22041) A celebration of life will follow immediately after at Ireland's Four Provinces (4Ps) restaurant and bar (105 West Broad St, Falls Church, VA 22046)

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider contributing to the GoFundMe campaign established to support Charlie’s future and assist with funeral expenses.

Donations can be made here: https://gofund.me/2dfffe67c

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