Elba's parents were José Dolores Ocasio Rivera and María Antonia Díaz Meléndez ( Dona Tonia ). They were parents of nine children, Jose Antonio Ocasio, deceased,Ligia Elba Reyes, Rafael Ocasio, Carlos Ocasio Sr., Nydia Raquel Rodriguez, Luis Enrique Ocasio, Gilbert Ocasio, Wilfredo Ocasio, ( Freddie ) and Reynaldo Ocasio.
We honor and celebrate the life of Elba Reyes, wife of 66 years to Raul Reyes Sr., mother to five boys, Raul Reyes Jr., Carlos Reyes, Walter Reiko Reyes, Jesse Reyes, and George Reyes. She was also a grandmother with many grandchildren. She was born August 21, 1934 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was a young lady. She was gifted with physical beauty drawing the attention of Raul Reyes, who she met and married at the age of 18. They ended up coming to the US and settling in NYC , bringing with them newly born, Raul Reyes Jr. In NYC she had three more boys, Walter Reiko, Jesse, and Carlos. After several years in NYC, they moved to Lansdale, Pennsylvania where she finally knew she was home. She loved Lansdale and had one additional son, George for a total of five rambunctious boys. When asked why she didn’t have any girls, she would simply give you the stare and say, “ I gave it my best effort five times. They moved one additional time from Lansdale to North Wales, Pennsylvania. Her boys were her world. Elba didn’t have an extended educational background going only as far as 9th grade. Circumstances prevented her from continuing on, but she would proudly tell you that her professional career was that of being a mom to five boys. Walter asked her once if she felt she missed out having a professional career because of having children; her reply came quickly without hesitation, “not at all, I already have the greatest career a woman could have, I’m a mother." Elba was a strong woman, humble and meek, who’s love for her children was unparalleled. She sacrificed her energy on them daily, keeping their household in order, as well as working outside the home as a maid in hotels and cleaning private homes for extra income so that her children would lack for nothing.
Visitation held Thursday, September 10, 2020 at the funeral home from 10:00 until service time at 11:00 a.m. Committal service and burial to follow at Garden Sanctuary Cemetery.
Arrangements were made under the direction of Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home, 7950 131st Street, Seminole, FL 33776 / 727-391-0121.
