Nereida Colon

Nereida was born on November 7, 1945 in Lares, Puerto Rico. She moved to Chicago, Illinois in the summer of 1954, then relocated to California in 1988. Nereida is survived by her daughter Maribel and her husband Dionisio; daughter Nereida (Roberto-deceased), son Rafael and his wife Rikki. Her granddaughters Jasmine, Amelia and her husband Austin, Olivia, and grandson Julian. She is also survived by her sisters: Elizabeth, Norma and her husband Wojciech, and her brother Rafael.

Nereida married the love of her life, Rafael Colon from Lares, Puerto Rico. Together they shared many decades of love and happiness in Illinois and California until his passing in 2022. In addition to being a loving wife, and mother, she was also a wonderful grandmother and favorite aunt to many of her nieces and nephews along with being a Godmother to many.

Nereida made a career in the television manufacturing industry as well as in her favorite career in childcare. Following retirement, she was an active member of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church in Oceanside as well as a member of the Inland Empire Puerto Rican Association and the House of Puerto Rico in San Diego.

Nereida loved gardening, singing and dancing. She also enjoyed traveling to Chicago, Florida, Indiana and Puerto Rico to visit family. When not traveling, she looked forward to socializing within the community and making new friends. As a great cook, her delicious home meals were treasured by family and friends, and continue to resonate as a family legacy.

Nereida helped countless of people throughout her adult life. Her acts of kindness and humility served as the role modeling example of compassion and empathy others emulated. Furthermore, she truly made the world a better place by our remembrance that she was our sunshine, our only sunshine, she made us happy when skies were gray. She made us know how much she loved us by never taking our sunshine away.

Nereida would not want you to be sad as you reflect on the memorable days you had with her. Instead, she would wish you to be happy. To remember her singing and humming, those were the days my friends, we thought they’d never end. We’d sing and dance forever and a day. We’d live the life we choose, we’d never lose, for we were young and sure to have our way. She will forever be our “Dancing Queen”.

As we celebrate Nereida’s beautiful legacy, her family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to family members and friends who assisted with prayers, words of encouragement, visits, phone calls and lending a hand when needed.