Grandma was the most selfless person I’ve ever known. In a lot of ways I wish she could have experienced more. 
She was there for family like no other.

Despite her not taking breaks from serving others, she without fail consistently encouraged me to take care of myself and not let myself get too tired. She’d also inquire about my work and travel schedule to confirm I was doing ok, especially after I became a mom.

She always believed in me, probably
more than she should have at some times. I remember when at their 60th anniversary she’d told someone I spoke Spanish (well) and they were not impressed with my response when they came to test it out. 😂

I’ve been looking for pictures and recipes and letters and no matter what I find, her most important teaching and legacy will not be lost. You stand by your family no matter what.

I love you grandma, and I’m so glad I made it in time to see you, talk with you and hear your stories one last time. 

We will get together and honor your life and we will continue to do things to celebrate you that you never had the chance to do, because you paved the way for us all to do it.

Mom,

I'm so glad I got to see you in December. Your stories still reverberate in my head and I am writing them down for Hank, Sebastian, and Sasha to learn about you. While I already knew many of these stories, I learned for the first time that even during the depression you never went hungry because you had chickens and grew vegetables. 

You were a rock for all of us in the family and rose to the occasion when times were tough. You were always the smart one that other family members went to with their questions - as if you were the lawyer that Cindy became, as if you were the teacher that I became. I remember you handling paperwork in DC to help family from Cuba come to the US in 1962.

Whenever I needed help, you were there. In grade school, you sat with me for hours each day after school. In high school, you showed my physics teacher a rocket I had been building and surprised him with that information about me. He then advised me about programs at NYU and I got a summer job that led to an invitation to attend NYU on a full scholarship. 
 
Thank you for the investments you made in multiple businesses that I started. It was your assistance that has helped me to live a purposeful life, driven by values that you taught me - from social equity, to having the resolve to stand up to authority and speak truth to power.

You helped me to buy the house that has made life for me much better, despite my paralysis. You gave me your blessings regarding my return to Ann Arbor, because you knew this would be a better life for me. 

Thank you for your deep love of Margarete and your canonization of her as “Saint Princess Angel Margarete”. Now she has to live up to that title every day. 

It was so hard for me when I left New York, thinking that I might not ever see you again. It is hard for me now, to not be there to say good-by to you.  So, I am immensely grateful for that time we had together in December. You will always live in my heart.

Having grown up in the great depression, grandma truly knew the value of money, and she also knew the power of love and family to get you through difficult times.  She and grandpa may have disagreed on the order of exact order of in importance of love and money (grandpa famously out dinero first) but they were almost always on the same page, and their commitment to each other was unwavering. 

They showed all of us the what you can achieve through love and a deep commitment to one another, and they complimented each other very well. I'm not sure if their story would even be possible today, but Grandpa,through tireless work as an elevator operator and as a waiter, and grandma both raised the kids and grandma went on to work numerous jobs, including for Marriott where she got stock options that she holds to this day.  

Together they were able to very quickly own their home outright, put children through private schools, and then into law school and PhD programs at the University of Michigan, offer loans and help family - always putting others first. What they were able to build together is a truly remarkable achievement. 

I think one of Grandma's defining characteristics helped make this possible, and that was her frugality  I'll never forget grandma washing Ziploc bags, saving Chinese food containers, shopping at 10 different stores, and countless other money saving strategies...I think a lot of her frugality has made its way deep into the fibers of our being.

We love you grandma and miss you, but you live on in us forever.

She was my Mom's cousin. When my family came from Cuba and I was in primary school, I was in real academic trouble.  Ofelia has the good sense and wisdom to help my Mom to see that I needed to be tested, and it was discovered that I had a learning disability and needed remediation.  Without her intervention, I would never have gotten to college, law school, and everything that came along with it.  I can't say how grateful I am to her.  But most of all. I remember her smile.


Ofelia my dearest friend and sister I never had will never be forgotten. I met Ofelia on her first day of school in 9 th grade after she moved from Florida to  Bronx New York. My friend Lillian and I immediately gravitated to Ofelia and we became the three musketeers as lifelong friends. Offie and I talked every day … we laughed cried and complained but were always there for eachother. Offie told me over the past few weeks that she wanted her family to celebrate the day of her passing because she would be with the love of her life …dearest Jack.

I remember going to Jones Beach when I was 4 with Aunt Offie Uncle Jack Cindy and Ronnie it was one of my first memories they were very special to my parents always there for our happy times and sad times they offered their support and love always especially when my sister was born with spina bifida during all the ups and downs they came to our Flushing NY home to see me off to church on my wedding day Offie was a wonderful comfort to me during my mother’s diagnosis with breast cancer and my Dad’s illness she always loved to hear stories of my life and children and sister Janine’s  journey in life most of all she was the sister from another mother for my Mom Ann since meeting in pre teen years our family has vey fond memories of Offie and know she is happy to be with Jack again💕

OBITUARY

Ofelia Suarez

Passed away on 8 JULY, 2022

Joseph G. Duffy

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