Pilar "Lourdes" Brehm

Pilar “Lourdes” Brehm, 60, of Monroe, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2026, surrounded by her family after a long and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born on September 3, 1965, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to Elvira Alegria Macay and Vincent Buenano, Lourdes was raised alongside her eight siblings. She graduated from Unidad Educativa de la Providencia High School in 1983 and went on to study accounting at the University of Vincente Rocafuerte Lay in Guayaquil. After working in her field for several years, she moved to the United States, where she met and married the love of her life, Peter Brehm. The couple welcomed their only child, Andrew, and Lourdes devoted herself fully to motherhood, setting aside her career to be a loving stay-at-home mom.

Later, as Andrew grew older, Lourdes returned to caring for others. She provided in-home childcare, served as a teacher’s assistant at a local elementary school, and worked as a home health aide for the elderly. In each role, she was cherished for her kindness, attentiveness, and genuine warmth. Most recently, she found joy working as a machine operator at the Costco warehouse in Monroe, where her strong work ethic and natural talent for organization shone through. Though she preferred to be called by her middle name, Lourdes truly embodied the meaning of Pilar—a steadfast pillar of strength, love, and resilience for her family and friends, who knew they could always rely on her grace and support.

She is survived by her husband, Peter Brehm, her son, Andrew, and her many siblings and extended family members who were blessed by her presence in their lives.