Luz Marta Alvarado

“Tu nombre lo decía todo — fuiste y serás siempre la luz en nuestras vidas.”

Luz Marta Alvarado, lovingly known as Abuela and Mami, passed away peacefully on October 27, 2025, at the age of 87. Born on March 16, 1938, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Luz was the cherished daughter of Felipe and Santos Alvarado.

To know Luz was to know love. She was kind, generous, funny, and endlessly selfless — the kind of woman who would give you her own plate of food before she ever took a bite. She found joy in feeding others, and her kitchen was always filled with the aroma of her delicious cooking, laughter, and stories. The first thing she would ask anyone who walked through her door was, “¿Comiste? Are you hungry?” — and whether you said yes or no, she was already serving you a plate.

Luz loved music, dancing, and good company. She could often be heard singing along to Camilo Sesto, Julio Iglesias, Juan Gabriel, or Selena — her favorite artists that filled her home with alegría. She never turned down a game of dominoes, and when she won — which was often — she would yell with a smile, “¡Capicú!” loud enough for the whole block to hear.

She had a way of making everyone laugh with her honesty and humor, and one of her most remembered sayings was, “La vida se compone de dormir y de comer.” Simple, funny, and true — just like her.

Though she was never rich in money, Luz was rich in life, love, and laughter. No tenía mucho dinero, pero lo tenía todo donde más contaba — en el corazón.

She was also a proud supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, giving from her heart to help children and families in need. Her generosity and compassion reached far beyond her home and community.

Her heart belonged to her family. She was the center of every gathering, the laughter at the table, and the comfort in difficult times. Luz leaves behind her beloved children: Marta, Astrid, Sandra, Yvette, Carlos, Lourdes, and Wilfredo Ortega; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who adored her. She is reunited in heaven with her son, Santos.

Her spirit, her recipes, and her light will forever live on through everyone she touched.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 2:00 PM at the Community Center, 161 State Street, Meriden, CT 06450