Lucia Alvarez

LUCIA ALVAREZ

June 25, 1936-Oct. 26, 2025

It is with deepest sorrow that we share the sudden passing of Lucia Alvarez, age 89 on

Oct. 26, 2025.

Lucia was born on June 25,1936 in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. Lucia was the beloved and

dutiful daughter of Eleuteria Sanchez Olmeda self- taught seamstress and Toribio

Alvarez, sugar cane plantation worker.

Adventurous spirit-as teenager took a ride on a motorcycle to see what it was like

knowing she risked corporal punishment at home. Her sister Teresa tattled on her and

Lucia was punished.

Graduated High School at a time when many children only had primary school

education. Due to her strict upbringing her mother would not allow her to go on the

graduation trip. She was very proud of her High School ring and always wore it. She

wore the blouse she learned to make in Home Economics class with pride and joy.

At 20 years old Lucia and her husband Luis moved to NYC. There she worked in the

garment district in Manhattan. She was employed as a sewing machine operator at the

pocket book factory Harry Levine Corp. She worked there for over 30 years and was

promoted to Forelady. Lucia also worked at Artistic Ribbons helping clients to choose

materials and order fulfillment. Her great qualities were the organizational skills,

attention to details, being meticulous and doing the job right.

After moving to Baldwin in late 2001 with her daughter's family, Lucia eventually retired

and no longer had to commute. Being an industrious person, Lucia could not sit idle.

She became a lunch monitor at Shubert Elementary School and then a children's Day

Care worker. She enjoyed working with children and always had a smile for them.

Children would call out to her whenever they saw her in the street. She would give them

love and attention. She taught a withdrawn baby to walk.

Lucia was a Baldwin Lions Club member.

When no longer working Lucia enjoyed going to the casino trips, Bingo games, playing

pool and learned to play shuffle board at Merrick Senior Center. She was a Mets fan

and watched the games on TV. She looked forward to playing a scratch card and

search-a-~Word.

Every day she would take her shopping cart and walk everywhere, talking to the

neighbors she met. Always a kind word and smile for people. People would often give

her a ride home if they saw her out and about.

Lucia's greatest joy were her grandchildren. She kept every drawing or craft they gave

her. Her walls were adorned with cards and drawings.

Known as "Abuela" to many

Lucia is survived by partner David R. Westerman, daughter Migdalia Reid, son-in-law

John J. Reid, Ronald Kolins godfather to Linda Rose, sisters Teresa and Carmen,

grandchildren Christopher and Linda Rose Reid and their half-brother Brad Reid, 4

nieces, 2 nephews, 6 grandnieces and 18 grandnephews.

She was preceded in death by brothers Carmelo, Blas, Jacinto and sisters Eduarda,

Juana and Julia; her infant daughter, Ex- Husbands Luis Antonio Zenquis (father of

daughter Migdalia Reid) and Jorge Alvarez.

You are loved and will be greatly missed. May God bless you and give you eternal

peace.

The family will receive friends Saturday and Sunday November 1st and 2nd, 2025 at Cecere Fullerton Family Funeral Home 769 Merrick Rd. Baldwin NY 11510 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Mass Monday November 3, 2025 at 10 AM at Blessed Sacrament RC Church 3443 93rd St. Jackson Heights NY 11372. Interment Greenfield Cemetery, Uniondale, NY.

Please visit CecereFamilyFunerals.com

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