Ana Laura Diaz Gonzalez: Former United Hospital employee

Ana Laura Diaz Guerra Gonzalez, 91, of Port Chester, died Apr. 9, 2020.

She was born Sept. 21, 1928 in Holguín, Cuba, the youngest of nine children of Andrés Diaz Santos and Zoila Guerra Gomez.

She emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. in 1958 and soon after was working in Manhattan’s garment district as a seamstress.

She later married Vicente Gonzalez, moved to Port Chester, and they started their family.

Later, she worked for many years at United Hospital as a receptionist, clerk and translator.

Stand back, all you residents of heaven, all you angels and saints: our mother is coming and she’s a force to be reckoned with. Don’t let the walking cane and her 91 years fool you: just do as she says, and no one gets hurt.

Here on earth she lived her life on her own terms: down-to-earth, opinionated, and most of all fiercely devoted to her family. She had no patience for self-pity and among her many Cuban sayings was “you have to die of something.” Well, that something for our Mima was coronavirus; only a pandemic of biblical proportions would dare tangle with her.

We’ve a bone to pick with whomever up there made the decision to take her from us, leaving us unmoored, but our great loss is your gain, heaven. She was formidable, but paradise and its residents will be all the better with her in their midst.

She was happiest surrounded by her daughters, granddaughters and her cherished sons-in-law--her hijos--her garden, the sight of a cardinal or a squirrel at the bird bath and a trip to the casino were icing on the cake.

She is survived by her daughters Ana Isabel Messerrly and her husband Brad of Greenwich and Gina Colleluori and her husband Joseph of Basel, Switzerland; her treasured granddaughters, Julia and Melissa Colleluori and Isabel and Sofia Messerrly, as well as several nieces and nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband Vicente who died Dec. 11, 2010 and all her beloved siblings.

A memorial service in her honor will be held later this year when it is safe to travel and congregate.

In lieu of flowers we invite you to donate to Port Chester’s Edison School PTO in her name.

Condolences to the family can be left at www.craftmemorialhome.com.