Luis E. Penaherrera, 77, a longtime Skokie resident who came from Ecuador in pursuit of the American dream and shared his love of soccer with his children and grandchildren, died from complications related to lung cancer Wednesday, April 24, in St. Francis Hospital, Evanston. After serving in Ecuador’s military, Mr. Penaherrera followed his mother to Chicago in 1953 to pursue a better life, said his daughter, Cecilia Adkins. He became a U.S. citizen and worked as a bus boy and in factories before taking night courses in engineering at a Chicago junior college . In the mid-1950s he proposed via letter to Rosario Romero, his girlfriend from Ecuador and they were married in Chicago. He spent the last 15 years of his career at Advance Transformer Co. in Rosemont, retiring as a shipping manager. He loved sports, particularly soccer, and spent Saturdays watching matches in the park at Montrose Harbor. In addition to Mr. Penaherrera’s wife and daughter, survivors include two daughters, Maria Pletz and Monica Balder; a son, Byron; and seven grandchildren. A grandson predeceased him. A mass will be said 9:30 a.m. Saturday in St. Peter Catholic Church, 8116 Niles Center Rd., Skokie.
