Lupe Victoria Salazar

On June 14, 2025, Lupe Victoria Salazar left this world peacefully at KU Medical Center with family by her side. Her years of dedication to her family and to her community will continue to exist through those she impacted during her 76 years of life.

Lupe, or “Aunt Victoria” as her family called her, was born on March 19, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Victor and Guadalupe (Murillo) Salazar. She was a lifetime resident of Kansas City’s West Side neighborhood.

Lupe was employed by the City of Kansas City, where she spent more than 50 years working to preserve Kansas City’s neighborhoods. Most of her time with the City was spent serving residents and communities across Kansas City’s East Side. She was proud of the work she did as a community engagement officer, helping residents across the city access resources to help maintain and improve their homes. Her love for the community was also evident outside of work.

Throughout her life, Lupe was heavily involved in community activism. Like others before her, she played a pivotal role in the West Side neighborhood. From being a Brown Beret, to marching with Cesar Chavez and Reverend Jesse Jackson, to attending neighborhood meetings, she found many ways to show her commitment to her community. The West Side was always the best side, and she did her part to make that known.

Some of Lupe’s favorite work moments were with the Palestine Neighborhood Community Action Network (CAN) Center, where she worked for many years. There, she helped with neighborhood preservation efforts, including neighborhood clean-up projects and community dinners.

Lupe was an avid reader, frequent concert-goer, and world traveler. She read nearly three books a week and kept local librarians busy with the number of books she checked out throughout the years. Music was also an important part of Lupe’s life, shown in the number of concerts she attended (which included The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, and many more). Those close to her will remember her randomly singing music from her favorite artist, Mary J. Blige.

While she enjoyed her travels all across the U.S. and parts of the world, her favorite place to visit was Mexico, where she shared countless memories with extended family. Lupe always held on to her roots.

She was a natural leader who did her very best to help every single person she came in contact with, both at work and in the community. Though she touched countless lives during her life, the most important ones to share her compassion with were her nieces and nephews.

Lupe is preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Guadalupe (Murillo) Salazar, and her two brothers, Mario Salazar and Jaime Salazar. She leaves behind five siblings: Ricardo Salazar, Eduardo Salazar, Patricia (Salazar) Carmona, Alfredo Salazar, and Georgina (Salazar) Herrera, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

She will forever be remembered and loved by all those whose lives she impacted.

Services for Lupe will take place Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at Golden Gate Funeral Home, 2800 East 18th Street, Kansas City, MO 64127. A public visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m., with a funeral service to follow at 3:00 p.m. A reception for friends and family to celebrate Lupe’s life will take place at Guadalupe Centers, 1015 Avenida César E. Chávez, Kansas City, MO 64108, beginning at 4:30 p.m.