Aliria Munoz de Castro, age 80 years, of Clinton, NJ, died peacefully at home on Friday, October 4, 2024, surrounded by her loving family and under the caring watch of Hunterdon Hospice.
Aliria was born on September 8, 1944, in La Sierra, Cauca, Colombia. She was one of eleven children, and the eldest daughter of Dorila Cardozo and Algemiro Munoz. When she was eight months old, her parents moved to the state of Huila. Growing up as the oldest daughter, she was very responsible and helpful to her parents helping them with the cooking, cleaning and taking care of her younger siblings.
She went to high school/religious base school at LaPresentation, San Agustin, Huila. She studied/lived at this school where she was instructed and took classes with nuns and follow religious rules. She became an elementary school teacher when she was twenty years old. She was very supportive and compassionate with her parents and family. With her salary as a teacher, she would buy clothes, shoes and sent money to her parents to contribute to her ten siblings basic needs.
While she was a teacher, she met her husband, Alberto Francisco Castro “Pachito”. They fell in love at first sight, sent love letters to each other for three years, then they got married. Their union made her the mother of six children: son, Milton and his partner, Marcela Ramirez; son, Leonel who gave her four beautiful grandchildren, Sebastian, Laura Daniela, Karen Vannesa, and Isabela Valentina; son, Cesar and his wife, Monica Contreras, who gave her two beautiful granddaughters, Andrea Elisa and Dana Sofia; daughter, Adriana and her husband, Hernando Gonzalez, who gave her one handsome grandson, Martin; daughter, Angelica and her partner, Richard F. Hennessy, Jr.; and daughter, Esperanza and her husband, George Cruz.
Aliria become a widow when she was just forty-four years old. She continued to raise her six children as a single mother, and instilled in them each a set of strong moral values and a strict work ethic.
Aliria will be always admired by her children and the larger community of her hometown in Colombia. She raised six children in an area that was surrounded by armed conflict and much violence. She protected her children and gave them the tools to survive of any obstacle that they encountered. She encouraged them to always have faith in God and to pray to the Virgin Mary, and most importantly believe in themselves.
In 2021, she moved to New Jersey to be closer to some of her children. She enjoyed going to New York City and watching the deer and squirrels while she walked at the local park, enjoying the sunset.
Enjoying the outdoors, she loved gardening and kept tropical plants around the house, ensuring they were well cared for and blooming.
Aliria also loved to embroider and paint flowers. She often made blankets and tablecloths with beautiful flowers that would decorate her children’s beds, walls and family dinner tables.
Though she was happy in the states, Aliria loved listening to the radio where she was listened to daily updates of her hometown. If there was news that involved someone from town or the community that she knew, Aliria would always contact them to ensure that no matter how far away she was, she was still there to support them!
Aliria was loving, happy, optimistic, open-minded, emphatic, loyal, and a true ‘people person’, who always was there for family and friends. She simply enjoyed helping others and she will be truly missed, yet eternally loved.
Aliria will lie in repose on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.
A Mass of Christian Burial officiated by Rev. Randy Gamboa Espinoza will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Magdalen Church, 105 Mine Street, Flemington, NJ, under the care and direction of Wright & Ford.
Interment will immediately follow at Old St. Mary’s Cemetery, Halstead Street, Clinton, NJ.
You are encouraged to visit Aliria’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.
Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to the Hunterdon Health Foundation by clicking HERE.
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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”
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Aliria Munoz de Castro murio en paz a los 80 anos de edad el 4 de Octubre del 2024 en Clinton, New Jersey rodeada de su amorosa familia y con el cuidado de Hunterdon Hospice.
Aliria nacio el 8 de Septiembre de 1944 en la Sierra, Cauca, Colombia. Ella era la mayor de once hermanos e hija de Dorila Cardozo and Algemiro Munoz. Cuando ella tenia ocho meses de nacida, sus padres se mudaron al Huila. Creciendo como hija mayor, ella era muy responsable ayudando as sus padres cocinando, limpiando y contribuyendo con el cuidado sus hermanos.
Aliria estudio en el colegio religioso La Presentacion, San Agustin, Huila. Ella estudio y vivio en este colegio recibiendo clases con monjas y siguiendo reglas religiosas. Ella comenzo su carrera como profesora cuando tenia veinte anos de edad. Ella era muy colaboradora y tenia mucha compasion con sus padres y sus hermanos. Con su salario como profesora, ella compraba ropa, zapatos para sus hermanos y les enviaba dinero a sus padres para que cubrieran necesidades basicas de su familia.
Cuando ella era profesora, conocio a su esposo, Alberto Francisco Castro “Pachito.” Ellos se enamoraron a primera vista y se enviaron cartas de amor por tres anos y luego se casaron. De esta union nacieron seis hijos. Su hijo Milton y su companera Marcela Ramirez; su hijo Leonel quien le dio cuatro hermosos nietos, Sebastian, Laura Daniela, Karen Vanessa y Isabela Valentina; su hijo Cesar y su esposa Monica Contreras quienes le dieron dos hermosas nietas, Andrea Elisa y Dana Sofia, su hija Adriana y su esposo Hernando Gonzalez quienes le dieron un hermoso nieto, Martin, su hija Angelica y su companero Richard Hennessy Jr., su hija Esperanza y su esposo George Cruz.
Aliria enviudo cuando ella solamente tenia cuarenta y cuatro anos de edad. Ella continuo criando a sus seis hijos como madre soltera y les inculco fuertemente valores morales y estrictamente la etica de trabajo.
Aliria sera siempre admirada por sus hijos y una larga comunidad de su pueblo, Garzon en Colombia. Ella crio sus hijos en una area rodeada de conflicto armado y demasiada violencia. Ella protegio a sus hijos y les dio las herramientas para sobrevivir en cualquier obstaculo que se les presentara. Ella les inculco siempre tener fe en Dios y orarle a la Virgen Maria y lo mas importante creer en ellos mismos.
En el ano 2021, Aliria se mudo a Nueva Jersey para estar mas cerca de algunos de sus hijos. Ella disfrutaba visitar la Ciudad de Nueva York y observar los venados y ardilas mientras caminaba en el parque local disfrutando del atardecer.
Disfrutando el aire libre, a ella le encataba la jardineria y mantener plantas tropicales alrededor de la casa asegurandose que estuvieran bien mantenidas y florecidas.
Aliria tambien le encataba bordar y pintar flores. Ella a menudo bordo cobijas, manteles con flores bonitas para decorar las camas de sus hijos, paredes y la mesa del comedor.
Aunque ella era feliz en Los Estados Unidos, Aliria le encantaba escuchar la radio donde se mantenia enterada de las ultimas noticias de su pueblo. Si habia alguna noticia que involucrara a alguien del pueblo que ella conocia, sin importar lo lejos que estaba se comunicaba para brindarles apoyo.
Aliria era amorosa, feliz, optimista, de mente abierta, empatica, leal, y una persona que realmente le gustaba ayudar e interactuar con otros. Ella era una persona que estaba siempre disponible para la familia y amistades. Ella simplemente siempre estaba ahi para el que lo necesitara y realmente va a ser extranada y eternamente amada.
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