In Loving Memory
Lydia Navarro Quiles de Jimenez
October 29, 1922 – November 1, 2023
Memorial Service
Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 3:00 PM EST
Matthew Funeral Home
2508 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314
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Program
Video Tribute
Obituary of Lydia Navarro Quiles de Jimenez
On November 1, 2023, Lydia Jimenez, (aka “Eta”) a loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away at the age of 101. She passed peacefully from old age surrounded by three generations of her family. Lydia was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico to Monserrate Quiles and Ramon Navarro. She married Sergio Jimenez in New York City in 1948. She raised four children, Daisy, Roberto, Miguel, and Rebecca. Lydia was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Miguel, brother and five younger sisters. She is survived by her three children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, her three youngest sisters: Ramonita, Silma and Marta Navarro and extended family members too many to list.
Lydia grew up in San German, Puerto Rico, and helped her mother care for her siblings. After WWII, Lydia migrated as a 23-year-old to New York City in pursuit of better job pay to help her family. She found a job assembling high end umbrellas. She met her future husband Sergio Jimenez at a party and married soon after. Lydia was a homemaker raising her four children. She later worked as a grocery store owner and later a supermarket check-out until she retired at 62.
Lydia was a favorite Titi and Abuelita to many of her nieces, nephews and adopted family. She loved her grandchildren and helped raise and care for them while the parents pursued their careers and education.
She loved to entertain family and friends and loved to talk. She loved going to church and being part of the Christian community. She always gave her children God’s blessing: “Que Dios te bendiga” without fail.
Her memorial service will be held at Mathews Funeral Home in Staten Island, NY on December 10, 2023 at 3pm. The service will be live streamed to include friends and family from Puerto Rico, California, Arizona, and Florida. Her remains will be interned at the Moravian Cemetery, Staten Island.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to her favorite charity: St. Jude Hospital for Children
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I am very grateful to have met you and call you my friend. Lydia taught me how to make her sefrito and garlic achiote oil. Lydia was a Christian and the gates of heaven is waiting to welcome her in. Will be miss, but the memories lingers on.
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Thank you titi for always being straight forward. Titi never sugar coated anything. The love she gave me was that of a second mother. Say hi to mami for me.
Love you
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I will keep you in my most treasured memories Lydia.
Thanks for all the lunches you prepared for me
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Ita yo se desde nuestro hogar está mirándonos a todos nosotros.tengo demasiadas cosas bonitas que decir de ti fuiste como una madre para mí
Solo 😭 te digo hasta pronto
Love Alex como me llamaba
RIP.
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Such a beautiful tribute for an extraordinary woman. We were so blessed to have her in our life.
I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there in person.
Sending love to you all,
Gail
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No matter what direction life takes… distance that manages to wedge a gap or just life circumstances in general. I will always be grateful that because of Ita I got to experience in life what it’s like to have a Grandmother. I’m thankful to Papi for giving her to me. Sending my most sincere love and prayers to the family.
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Ita, you were like a grandmother to me. You sent me birthday cards with $10 well into my 20’s. You took care of me when we lived in Staten Island. Fed me, let us run around in your backyard, brought me little gifts so I wouldn’t feel left out. Treated me like your own grandchild.
You had a huge heart, God Bless You. I love you!
-Lillibeth Munoz
(Alejandra Garcia’s daughter)
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Sending love, prayers and our deepest condolences to the family. Ita will be forever in our hearts. Her presence will definitely be missed.
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Doña Lydia… Fue una gran bendicion conocerla y compartir momentos especiales con usted. La recordaremos y la extrañaremos. Usted fue una personal muy especial para nosotros, una Amiga y hermana en Cristo. Estara en nuestros corazones.
Que su memoria sea bendecida.
Nos veremos al sonido de la ultima trompeta. 1Tesalonicenses 4:16-18
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Ita,
Sin duda un gran ser humano, se que en este mundo no hay casualidades, Dios la puso en n mi camino y estaré siempre agradecida por lo buena que fue conmigo, por siempre desearme lo mejor, darme su su cariño y amor.
Un ejemplo de persona, me quedo con todo lo bueno y pidió a Dios que la tenga a su lado.
Les mando un fuerte abrazo a toda su familia.
Karla Loaiza
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We will be forever grateful and blessed to have been welcomed into ITA’s family , many years ago…
Her life and her love will continue on
with each heart she touched .
Sending prayers and love
to you all at this time and always,
From:Vivian and family
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LORD, MAY LYDIA FIND REST IN YOUR LOVING ARMS. MAYSHE KNOW THAT SHE WAS LOVED BY MANY. MAY HER JOURNEY BE FULL OF PEACE. AMEN. D.F.
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Dear Daisy,
Praying that memories bring you peace, comfort and strength during this difficult time. My condolences to you and your family. One of my fondest memories of your mother she would always ask me “ how your daughter doing” that’s something I will always remember her kindness towards me.
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My memories with you are so beautiful. You were so kind and so sweet. Always had a smile on your face. ETA you will always hold a special place with the Furman family.
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Eta made this little Italian boy who lived next store in Staten Island realize there was more to eat than pasta. She was a great cook, and always the sweetest and most loving woman. And I remember her yelling at me as if I were her grandson when Jason and I would cause a ruckus during our boyhood years. She deserved the full and amazing life she had here on Earth because she was an angel of a woman among us and a gift to all she encountered. Rest well Eta.
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Doña Ita, así la conocí por medio de mi hermana Alejandra. Una señora amorosa y digna de admiración. Me le hizo un regalo a mi hijo cuando nació hace 28 años. Y siempre estaba preguntando a mi hermana por el. RIP querida Ita.
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My memories with hermana Lydia were joyous. Our conversations about God are forever engraved in my heart.
She was a great blessing in my life. I met her and her daughter Daisy in Arizona a few years back and I had the honor to serve them and I consider them like family. I am forever grateful with the opportunity I got to spend with them.
May God comfort all her family.
Xenia Vanegas
XVanegas1972@gmail.com
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More than neighbors, Lydia and l shared our faith in Jesus Christ. We became sisters in the Lord. What a dear, kind person she was. At her insistence in 2009 l visited her church and as she predicted, l loved it and it became my church too! With deepest condolences to Daisy and the family. Love, Mary
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I’ll miss you..
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Yo conocí a Lydia en Staten Island la visité en California hace mucho tiempo
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Dear Eta,
Thank you for being a loving “adopted” Eta to me during my early adulthood years. I will always remember the kindness you’ve shown me and the hugs and kisses. You will always be a special person in my life.
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My sincere condolences
In the arms of Jesus, “ Eta, Rest in Peace.”
May God Bless the Family