A Heartbroken Family Bids Farewell to Caritina Goyanes in Marbella

This Tuesday at 11:30 am, the Guadalmina chapel in Marbella hosted the funeral mass in memory of Caritina Goyanes, the eldest daughter of Carlos Goyanes, who passed away on August 7th, and Cari Lapique. Married and mother of two children, the businesswoman lost her life this Monday, August 26th, due to a sudden heart attack at her home in the Costa del Sol city where the family has been spending summers for decades. The temple, the same one where just 20 days ago a service was held in memory of her father, proved too small to accommodate the numerous family members and friends who wished to bid their final farewell to Caritina before her remains were transferred to Madrid's San Isidro cemetery. During the funeral, scenes of grief from a broken family that found no solace after enduring two such severe losses in just over two weeks were evident.

Before half-past ten in the morning, the first visibly affected relatives began arriving at the chapel in the outskirts of San Pedro Alcántara while several workers busied themselves arranging countless flower wreaths in memory of Caritina. Among those present were friends of the deceased and her family such as Inés Domecq, Maribel Yébenes, Laura Vecino, wife of Rafael Medina, and Eugenia Silva. Particularly affected was María Zurita, who is experiencing one of her hardest summers. After saying goodbye to her cousin Fernando Gómez-Acebo, aged 49 with whom she shared a very special bond last March, the family received another blow on August 12th with the death of Juan Gómez Acebo at 54 years old. Previously, she had accompanied her friend Cari Lapique at her husband's funeral, whose death was also unexpected after having a pacemaker implanted a year ago to address his heart condition.

Rosauro Varo, Alfonso de Borbón, Tomás Terry, Pablo de Hohenlohe, Elena Benarroch and financier José María Amusátegui also wanted to support the devastated family members on such a difficult day. Caritina, aged 46, leaves behind a widower and two children. Married since 2008 to businessman Antonio Marcos, they had two children: Pedro, aged 13 and Cari, affectionately called Minicari by the family, aged 10. Journalist José María García, a close friend of the family arrived deeply affected before Cari, Myriam and Carla—mother, aunt and sister of the deceased businesswoman—arrived devastated around half-past eleven. They supported each other amidst respectful silence from numerous attendees. Following them was the hearse carrying Caritina's remains—a woman of faith whose reunion with God had changed her life as she had recounted on more than one occasion.

And so it is in faith that all her loved ones have sought refuge following Caritina's sudden loss, bidding her farewell with a funeral mass where she was remembered as "the example of a woman who above all knew how to love." Upon leaving Guadalmina chapel many sought to comfort the grieving family members who found no solace before heading to Madrid where they will say their final goodbye to Caritina at San Isidro cemetery.