Maria Borgeene

She made friends with a good looking man with a suit and fedora, who smiled at her on the elevator. They each thought the other one was handsome (and rich) and dressed stylishly. Little did they know, Maria's clothes always looked fabulous because she made them herself. The charming man looked so dashing because he purchased his clothes from the pawn shop. His name was Victor Manuel Alvarado and Maria married him in 1954.

Multi-talented and unstoppable, Maria worked as a seamstress until Victor died in 1970. At that point, she learned English and opened up a newsstand in Lincoln Center to raise her daughters and keep them in Catholic School. She was a single mom before that was trending.

Her life was full of stories, encounters, love, passion, excitement, ice cream and cake parties, music, singing and dancing the tango.

On March 30, 2013, Maria left our world, but she will never leave our hearts. She is survived by her loving daughters Alicia and her husband Fred, and Janet, nephew Carlos and his wife Kathleen, grandchildren Danielle and her husband Jawara, Jamie and her fiancé Michael, Kristin, and Matthew, great-grandchildren Nina and Dorian, as well as Gregor, Diane, many god-children and cherished friends.

Please take time to sign the guestbook and share your favorite memories with us- there are so many!