Maria G. D’Ambrose

Maria G. D’Ambrose, affectionately known as “Maruca,” of Massapequa, NY, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2025, at the age of 101. Born in Candelaria, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Maruca lived a life full of courage, resilience, love, and laughter.

Maruca was the first in her family to emigrate from Cuba, paving the way for future generations with her fierce independence and unshakable determination. She supported herself as a seamstress while earning her beautician's license, eventually working in high-end salons on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Her career later took to the seas, where she became a Merchant Marine operating beauty parlors aboard U.S. flagged cruise ships. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Ernest D’Ambrose II, whom she later married.

Though she began her journey with little formal education, Maruca’s thirst for knowledge led her to earn her GED, a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s in Education, and over 30 postgraduate credits. She became a pioneer in bilingual education, founding an innovative program at Community School 30 in East Harlem, where she touched countless lives through her teaching and advocacy.

Maruca will be remembered for her warm heart, her infectious and gregarious laugh, and her impeccable sense of style. She was a woman of deep faith and a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt. She was, in every sense, a force of nature.

She is survived by her loving sons, Ernest III (Marie) and Steven; her cherished grandchildren, Carrie, Ernest IV, and Madison; and her great-grandchildren, Jack and Juliana.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at James Funeral Home, Massapequa, NY. A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Maruca’s honor at St. Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church in Elmhurst, NY. Interment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth, NY.

Maruca's legacy of strength, compassion, and perseverance will live on in all who knew and loved her. May God bless her and keep her in His eternal care.