Sunrise: April 15th, 1925 - Sunset May 9th, 2021
Born, Carmen Negron to Pedro and Secundina Negron on April 15th, 1925 in the town of Naranjito, Puerto Rico. The only one of her seven siblings to be born in a hospital by a Doctor, who upon her birth wanted to adopt her. Pedro, Carmen’s father declined, paid for the services with a goat and took baby Carmen home. Carmen grew up with her six brothers and one sister on her parent’s farm, attending school until the sixth grade, she would walk there barefooted to save her shoes from wearing down. In 1935 at the young age of ten Carmen’s duties on the farm multiplied because her mother passed away. Carmen had to help raise her nieces and nephews as well as attend to busy farm duties. She did express fond memories playing with her household dogs Carino and Amor during that time. When her father passed away in 1939 at age fourteen, she went to live with her godmother.
In 1948 at the age of 23 Carmen travelled with her brother Pedro and his family to New York City. They settled in Manhattan which is where Carmen met her first husband Valentin Gomez. They welcomed their children Norma in 1950 and George in 1951. In August of 1951 Carmen and her small family became one of the first families to move into NYC’s newly developed Farragut Houses part of the NYC Housing Authority located in Brooklyn. Widowed in 1958 at the age of 33 she became a single parent. With the help of her brothers Pedro, Roman, Juan, family and friends she flourished, participating in the local church she graduated from its literacy program as well as its health care program. In 1968 at 43 years old she moved out of the projects to Adelphi Street where her lifelong friend Nanda Robles lived.
Soon after, both of her children left the nest and by the beginning of 1971 a new phase in her life began. Carmen married her second husband Ralph Langone and over the course of the next fifty years, she secured employment with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company retiring after 20 years of service. Within this time frame Carmen divorced Ralph and married her third husband Joseph Oliva and buried him… She also saw her family expand from her two children to seven grandchildren, eight greatgrandchildren and one great greatgrandchild. She saw weddings, births, baptisms, sweet-sixteens, graduations, and all manners of celebrations and sorrow. Always a guiding light and a beacon of hope she provided council to family and friends alike. Cracking the whip or as some would say her sharp tongue when one faltered but giving inspiration, hope and direction with her wit and wisdom. She had a great and fruitful life, living through the great depression, wars, civil rights, woman’s rights and the pandemic of 2020 and 2021. She endeavored ahead a pioneer of her generation and her legacy will be measured by the four generations she left behind as well as the future generations to come. She pushed ahead even in her last days being cared for by her family. In her last lucid moments, she always said how proud she was of her family, may God keep her in his glory with her loved ones close at hand. We love you Mom, Grand mom, Grandma, Grammy, Great grandma, Carmela, and Carmen!
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