Carmen Cortez

She was born on July 16, 1948, to the late Carmen Rodriguez in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Carmen’s family was the center of her world. She and her husband, John, were married for over 57 years. They had three children, John, Jeanne, and Aimee, who adored her for her loving and supportive disposition. They will always remember with fondness her quiet confidence, her positive, can-do attitude, and her incredible gift of empathy.

Carmen was fiercely independent and hardworking; she started cutting hair at age 13 and never stopped. She owned her own salon in Goshen, New York and when she moved to Ohio in 2007, she started working at JCPenney as a Master Designer and ultimately received the prestigious American Stylish Recognition Award. She worked at the salon until her last days as a testament to her strong work ethic, loyalty, and positive outlook.

Carmen is survived by her husband John Cortez; son John M. Cortez (Stephanie); daughters Jeanne L. Caligiuri MD (Joe) and Aimee D. DiPasqua MD; 8 wonderful grandchildren; sister Martha Rodgriguez of New York; friends and colleagues, many of whom date back almost 60 years.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Schoedinger Dublin, 5980 Perimeter Drive, Dublin Ohio 43017. A reception celebrating Carmen’s life will immediately follow the service until 5:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider helping us end cancer by donating to Jeanne’s 50-mile ride in memory of her mom at this year’s Pelotonia. 100% of your contribution will fund innovative cancer research at The James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University. Please use this link: www.pelotonia.org/profile/JC935928