Vicenta Calzadilla

Vicenta Calzadilla was a woman of extraordinary strength, a devoted wife, and a mother whose love was the bedrock of her family. Born in Banes, Cuba, to Victoria and Miguel Cruz, she carried the spirit of her heritage and the lessons of her parents throughout her entire life.

She was the foundation upon which her family was built. By the age of 18, she met the love of her life, beginning a partnership that would span over 55 years. While her husband was known for a legendary work ethic, Vicenta matched him step for step, raising their sons and working alongside him—whether painting walls or cleaning apartments—to build a future together. She was, in every sense, his rock.

Her journey was defined by a resilience that began in her youth. Vicenta was a "Pedro Pan" kid, one of over 14,000 Cuban children sent alone to the United States between 1960 and 1962 to escape the Castro regime. Arriving at just 12 years old with her aunt, she quickly became the person everyone else leaned on. By 16, she had set aside her own education to work in a radio factory in Queens, sending every penny back to Cuba to fund a life-saving surgery for her father. That was her essence: if something needed to be done, she did it—without complaint and without fanfare.

Vicenta was genuinely warm, with a way of making people feel truly seen, yet she was defined by a "brutal honesty" and a sharp wit. She didn't believe in coddling; she believed that you earned what you got through hard work and grit. She instilled this confidence in her sons, often telling them, "Nothing can stop you, my son—believe it."

Though the later years were marked by a difficult battle with Alzheimer’s, it could never erase the fire, elegance, and humor that defined her. She has now found her rest, leaving behind a legacy that deserves to be spoken aloud.

Te queremos, Mami.