Maria Menendez-Aponte

Maria Dolores (Prats) Menendez-Aponte, age 82, passed away April 11, 2023.

Known to most as Rosita, Maria was born December 30, 1940, to Antonio and Justa Prats in Havana, Cuba. She spent her childhood in her parent’s thriving flower shop in Havana and many summers with family in Acevedo, Spain. Shortly after Rosita graduated from her beloved Dominicas Americanas (American Dominican Academy) in Havana, she was forced to flee Cuba and emigrated to the United States in 1961, landing in Buffalo, NY. While in Buffalo, Maria married her husband Carlos and had their two sons, Carlitos and Tony.  The family then relocated to Parsippany, NJ and later to Leominster, MA, where they were active members of their church and volunteered in Marriage Encounter for many years. Once her sons were away at college, she and Carlos moved to Miami. Maria was a long-time employee of the Social Security Administration and spent the latter part of her career at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. She and Carlos greatly enjoyed time at their second residence on Sunny Isles Beach in their retirement years.

Maria was predeceased by her husband Carlos Sr., her son Antonio (Tony) and her sister Dulce (Prats) Connelly. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Carlos and Emily, daughter-in-law Francine, and grandchildren Micah, Jocelyn, Matthew, Sophia and Julia.

Services will be held:

5/11/23 at 7pm, Mass for Maria @ St. Brendan Catholic Church, 8725 SW 32^nd St., Miami, FL 33165

5/27/23 at 9:30am, Mass for Maria @ Our Lady of the Lake, 1400 Main St., Leominster, MA 01453

5/2723 at 11am, Internment @ St. Bernard’s Cemetery, 96 Goodrich St., Fitchburg, MA 01420

In lieu of flowers, Please consider donating to the following charities. Each has had a profound impact on Maria and her family over the years.

Spanish-American Center of Leominster, MA.  While Maria lived in Leominster MA, she and the entire family would regularly volunteer and it became an important part of her life.

Spanish American Center, Inc.

112 Spruce Street

Leominster, MA 01453

www.spanishamericancenter.org

Marjorie P. Lee Assisted Living (non-profit), the staff there were and are exceptional! 

Don’t know how MPL does it, but their people do their job because they want to, not because they have to. 

We will forever be grateful for the way they cared for mom in her final years.

Episcopal Retirement Services - Donate Online