Laura Fabiola Montealegre

Laura Fabiola Montealegre Villabón

December 1933 - May 2026

We deeply regret the passing of our beloved mother, Laura Fabiola Montealegre Villabón, widow of Montealegre (2015) and widow of Zambrana (2023), on May 16, 2026, in the City of Tampa, Florida.

Laura Fabiola was a hardworking and tireless woman devoted to her family and the community. She always stood out for her business skills, as well as for her contagious smile and cheerful personality.

She was born in Palocabildo, Tolima, Colombia, on December 21, 1933, to Silverio Villabón and Agripina Urrego, both deceased. She was predeceased by her brothers Oscar and Silverio Armando, her sister Yolanda. Son-in-law Eric Krueger, her children Amelia Navarro and Carlos Humberto and grandchild Christopher Hintz.

She spent her childhood in Palocabildo and Falan, Tolima, where she was educated. After the death of her father, Silverio, in 1951, she moved to the city of Ibague, where she met Alfonso Montealegre, to whom she was married for more than 62 years, and with whom she raised seven children. There she pursued her professional career as an administrator and office manager.

She worked at the Governor’s Office “La Gobernación” of Ibagué. Her life with Alfonso, who held many important jobs in the community at times as Fire Chief, Sanitation Inspector, and other positions, made an impact in the communities they both served. Alfonso bringing to communities the advent of the car, he was the only one who drove a car in many of the towns he visited as an inspector. After many years in Tolima and because of the period of political upheaval called “La Violencia”, the couple and their six children moved to Bogotá. In 1963, Laura Fabiola had her youngest daughter, Monica.

In Bogotá, Laura Fabiola worked for a British company sending nannies to the United States, to Long Island and New York City. With that experience, she helped her family immigrate to the United States, as well as a large number of people in the City of Dover, New Jersey, where she lived for many years. More than 60 families obtained their U.S. residency and citizenship thanks to Laura Fabiola and her generosity in offering lodging to families in her own home, while they were able to complete their paperwork and become independent.

She met Jorge Zambrana in 2017 at the Town 'N Country Senior Center in Tampa. Theirs was a love story captured in the local papers. They both loved to go on cruises to Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Zambrana lived to be 100 years-old, he was a Veteran of the Merchant Marines. Laura Fabiola had many friends among them Soledad Artiles including her son-in-law Mario and daughters Griselda and Noraima, la Sra. Agront and Family, la Sra Fonseca and Family, la Sra Tina Peña, Realtor, Zamira Pechene, Leticia Lugo and Family, and many more.

Laura Fabiola is survived by her children Alvaro (ex wife Sonia Matos), Gloria (Atno), Sofia (Mauricio), Mercedes (Ivan), and Monica. Siblings: German, Hugo (Rosaura), Constanza, Maria Teresa (Frederich), and Victoria (Isaias), Siter-in-law Jeannette (widow of Armando). Her granddaughters and grandsons Jenny (Felipe), Lia (Adam), Laura (Matthew), Matthew, Andres, Nora Cristina, Camilo (Isela), Cali, Mauricio (Monica), Jorge Jr., Nash (Partner), Bianca (Partner). Great-grandchildren Emiliano, Alexis, great-great-grandchildren Emiliana, Emmanuel, Matthew Wayne. Nephews and nieces Luis, Carlos (Migdalia), Yolanda (Jaime), Sonia (Ken), Joe Arce and family; Ana Victoria, Victor (Diana), Juan Carlos (wife), Jorge (Christine), Alex (wife), Luis, Eddie; Sandra, Pedro (Fernanda), Marta, Patricia, Cristina, Claudia, Oscar, Jr. Juan, Carlos “Beto” (wife), Juan Lesmes, Lina Maria, Claudia, Daniel, Veronica, Jaime Jr. (wife) and Oscar (wife), Diana Newsom, and all their respective families, Arturo, Sandra, Angela, Jeannette y Diana, and their respective families, Tia Chela, Tia Miryam, and a great number of other relatives, including Primas Gloria Montealegre and Husband Roberto Capote, Cecilia Montealegre, Monica Yanet Montealegre, Rafael Montealegre and family, Angel Montealegre and family, Tio Isaac and family, Tio Marco Antonio and family, Tia Alicia and family, Karen Denise, Irma, Lilly, and other nieces and their respective families, Tio Augusto Rada, cousin Charlie, and the very numerous Montealegre Family in New Jersey, Florida, Canada, and Colombia.

A special "Thank You" to the family and friends who cared for "Fabiolita" these past two years and most recently, including Gloria Mercedes Montealegre Maecha, Anita Andrade, Ruben Andrade, Yolanda Hurtado, Gloria Castro, Dr. José Lopez, Dr. Maria del Pilar Cekan, Dr. Mercedes Montealegre de Orjuela, and the nurses and social workers who were so kind and patient.

A memorial mass will be held at Incarnation Catholic Church, located at 8220 W. Hillsborough Ave. Tampa, FL 33615.

May she rest in Peace!