Gladys Angelina Parada

Gladys Angelina Parada Navarro, age 87, died of natural causes on January 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. She is survived by her son, Jose A. Parada, Jr of Atlanta, GA; her daughter, Gladys Celeste Parada of Carmel Valley, CA; her son, Carlos A. Parada, daughter-in-law Sirlys Arcon Rios, grandchildren Lucero I. Parada Arcon, Santiago A. Parada Arcon, of Jacksonville, FL. She was a devoted wife to Jose A. Parada, Sr., for 22 years.

Gladys A. Parada was born on March 1, 1931 in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, to parents Juana Maria Noa and Lucas Evangeliste Navarro. She graduated Teachers College, 1958, Cuba, and East Los Angeles College School of Nursing, 1974. She worked at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital, and Georgia Baptist Hospital. Returning to education, she worked as the International Student Adviser at Dekalb Technical College, 1979-2002. Her awards, community service contributions and professional memberships are extensive. She was a social and active woman who was deeply involved in local Latino community, focusing on voter registration, working with both Maynard Jackson’s and Andrew Young’s mayoral administrations. In 1992, she was selected to the Georgia Electoral College for the presidential election of Bill Clinton.

Her lifelong passions included educating youth, fine arts, literature, music, gardening and international travel. She traveled to more than 24 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Her singing talent led her to the Uterper Opera Club and Young Musicians Foundation, from 1972-1977; and she frequently volunteered for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Fox Theatre.

She will be remembered as a faithful Christian woman, a generous and encouraging mother, a kind sister and joyful, loyal friend.

The memorial service is scheduled for 11am, Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Unity Atlanta Church, with reception following, at 3597 Parkway Lane, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092. The Reverend Letania Ponte (her niece) will officiate. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Gladys’ amazingly blessed life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Talent Development Program, online at: www.atlantasymphony.org/EducationAndCommunity/TDP.