Lydia Rivera

In memory of my mother

My mother Lydia Barcelo Rivera was the daughter of Maria De Los Santos Rivera, and Ramon Barcelo. She was born on the island of Puerto Rico on August 3 1923.

My mother grew up to marry Angel Gonzalez.  They had two children named Angel Gonzalez Jr and Emerita Gonzalez.

After she and my father divorced,(because of his brutality)she escaped by going to New York. 

There,she was given sanctuary by some of her childhood friends. She found work as a seamstress and shirt folder In the garment district.

There in New York, she gave her children the best life that she could, given the circumstances that a woman who could not speak english can provide. 

Her daughter Emerita died at the age of 14 of Hepatitis B and is interred in 

Rosedale Cemetery in Linden NJ.
LOCATION : WILLOW-11-14 /DD

BURIAL 06/04/1971

Her son grew up to join the Marines, go to Vietnam and return to work for the federal government where his innovations in Earth Science and Cartography earned him two geographic feature monuments named Gonzalez Spur Antarctica. And the Ventifacted Pillars of Gonzalez Spur.

Your love and teachings were not in vain Momma.

During the time that her son was working in Washington DC, she  lived in Taino Towers, NY and was happy there where she shared an Apartment with a lifelong childhood friend.

Her friends daughter evicted her from the apartment once her mother passed away.

From that time on, my mother has been missing.  Unbeknownst to me, my wife Linette Gonzalez took it upon herself to search through many records for the name and birthdate of Lydia Barcelo Rivera.

In her search, she found the record of a woman with the same name and birthdate who is Interred in a paupers grave at Hart Island NYC.

I don’t know for certain that the remains of the woman in the grave are that of my mother, but in order to give myself peace, and to give the soul of the woman in the grave peace and identity, I have decided to accept the remains of this woman as those of my mother.

Momma, thanks to Linette, I have found you at last.

We Love You.

     Your son and daughter,

Angel and Linette Gonzalez

     Rest In Peace.