Leonida was born on January 28, 1937 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico to the late Georgina (Noboa) Morales and Martin Morales. Leonida was preceded in death by her first husband, Felix Arce in 1959, and her second husband, Felix Clausell, in 1999, and also her sister Ida Morales.
Surviving are her four children: Ricardo (Leena) Clausell of Florida NY, Annabell (Edward) Colon of Bronx NY, Felix (Vivian) Arce of Fort Lauderdale FL, and Dolores Marquez of New York NY. Also surviving are 6 grandchildren: Kaitlyn Clausell, Brandyn Colon, Aja Colon, Tristan (Jennifer) Clausell, Alexandria Arce and Valentina (Chris) Baird, as well as two great grandchildren: Jezlyn and Mateo. Additional surviving family members include her sister Ana Morales of Fajardo Puerto Rico, sister Rosa Morales of Arecibo Puerto Rico, nieces Beatriz Valladares, Sunilda Silva and Nilsa Gonzalez, and countless extended family and friends who adored her.
It's an impossible task to sum up our mom's life in a couple of sentences. How do you fully express what your heart is aching for? Leonida was the most loving person, with honest goodness and never having any expectations in return. Family was the focus of her life and being a doting mother and grandmother were not tasks, it was who she was to her core. She loved her family unconditionally and supported each and every one of them in any endeavor they embarked on. Leonida was like a second mother to most. She taught by example the most important lessons in life, those of kindness and compassion.
A vibrant soul, she loved dancing, and even until the very end when Alzheimer's took over, she would shimmy to the salsa beats of Celia Cruz. Her rhythmic spirit touched everyone around her, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary memories. The memory of her dancing will forever echo in the hearts of all that knew her. Gracias mama por todos sus sacrificios para asegurar La Felicidad de su familia. Díos te bendiga mami; inolvidablemente, su amor siempre vivirá en nosotros.
Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, 2024 from 4:00PM - 8:00PM at Wanamaker & Carlough Funeral Home, 177 Route 59, Suffern, NY 10901. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, February 15, 2024 at the funeral home at 10:30AM. Interment to follow at Rosehill Cemetery, 792 E Edgar Road, Linden, NJ 07036.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org, would be appreciated.
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