What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
Obituary
Gladys was born in Cuba in 1930. the oldest of 3 children born to Rose Amelia.in Havana. The daughter, grand daughter and niece of women who wove lace by hand and fashioned clothes for Havana's most fashionable ladies, Gladys was raised as a maker and a creative, learning to sew and make her own clothes and jewelry as a child, a hobby she enjoyed until her final days.
When her father was tragicaly killed in a work accident, Gladys only 10, quit school to help her mother care for her two younger brothers Luis and Jose. .Although largely unschooled, Gladys taught herself English and as a young lady, scored a coveted office job at a large book binding company in Havana. Havana in the 50's -- the Vegas of the Caribeean -- was teeming with cabarets, casinos and starlets, But while American touristsspun the roulette wheel and sipped dacquaris, locals of Gladys' generation were locals were fed up with high poverty and a two tier leadership of dictator Batista that favorred the few at the expense of the many. With a revolution brewing, at 28 Gladys left her beloved Havana with a suit she'd fashioned for herself and landed in Miami. Later that year, Fidel Castro over threw the Cuban government and severed ties with the US. Rose Amelia pleaded with her daughter to come home, but it wasnt to be. Littlke did she know that like so many Cuban immigrants, she wouldnt see her mother or her homeland again until 1974.
In Miami Gladys took work as a nanny and housekeeper, a job she was grateful for but quickly grew dull. Without a winter coat and never having experienced winter in, October of 1960 she headed north to the bright lights of New York City. She rented room in a a ladies rooming house on Riverside drive where the cold winds off the river were enough to send anyone packing.. But Gladys was determined to ,make it. Always a fun and outgoing person, In NYC she made many friensds including Theresa and her husband Chao, a latin night club promoter. She spent days doing odd jobs and nights at dances and movies, another of Gladys' passions. At one of these parties she met Miguel Angel Echegoyen another Cuban who'd been in NY for several year and had two lovely daughters from a previous marriage, Karen and Josie. Two year later Mike and Gladys married and moved to a small apartment in the projects in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn where in 1964 Gladys gave birth to her only child Helena.
eventually retired from a career at AT&T. Gladys is survived by her daughter Helena and step daughters Josie and Karen. Gladys and Helena loved to go to Chinatown to eat when Helena was a child. Gladys lived in New York City, Miami and Los Angeles. While she never learned to drive a car, she would happily hop on a bus across town up until her 90's! She loved food, music and shopping at the 99c Store! Gladys loved flower and plants and celebrated many Cuban traditions. Gladys was 94 when she peacefully passed on at home with family.
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You shared your wisdom and traditions. You were a bit of my partner in crime and weekend mischief around the house just to make Helena (and ourselves) laugh!
You loved music and some days I would come home from work and hear you singing, loudly I might add, for hours along to all your records, tapes and CD's. You always knew all the words.
You loved flowers, coffee and snacks, and sometimes, we'd even have a beer together. You were clearly Juana (the cat)'s favorite human. We had so much fun at Holidays, and on trips together just spending time. Halloween will always be my favorite, we all laughed so much!
It's just not going to be the same world without you, but having the time I had with you,the memories in my heart, are a gift you shared with me and will always make me smile (and maybe tear up a little bit too).
Love you Gladys!!
Mike
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