Dora Maldonado's Obituary
Dora Altagracia Gonzalez de Maldonado, age 80, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 8, 2018. She was born on January 7, 1938, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to loving parents, Pablo and Candelaria Gonzalez. She is preceded in death by her devoted husband, Jose Angel Maldonado; siblings: Victor Manuel Santiago y Cruz and Lucy Santiago de Pabon.
Dora married the love of her life on November 17, 1962 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They were married for over 40 years, during that span they built a beautiful family raising four boys. She was a mom of boys, an umpire, a referee, and always on the go - ready to be by their side. She was a proud Army mother, whom supported three of her sons while they actively served in combat and throughout their military careers. She and Jose Angel enjoyed traveling, the arts, sporting events, and dancing the night away. They were actively involved in many sporting events with their sons and eventually their grandchildren. Dora being one of their biggest cheerleaders was on the sidelines of baseball, football, tennis, cross country /track, golf, wrestling, softball, cheerleading, and soccer.
Dora was an ambitious woman and very much a trailblazer of her time. She was avid about educating, developing, and empowering others. After graduating from the University of Puerto Rico in 1960 with two Bachelor’s degrees she embarked on a passionate career of mentoring others. She was a teacher for 45 years, to include teaching high school home economic classes in Puerto Rico, and later in her career with Hillsborough County Public Schools she worked with adults with disabilities at the J. Clifford MacDonald Training Center. She taught daily living skills to clients moving to group homes and /or independent facilities to further their independence and quality of life. Dora was one of the first teachers to become a Certified Instructor Trainer in the Hispanic HIV/AIDS Statewide Training Network Team in early 1990. Dora was honored as “National Home Economics Teacher of the Year” in 1979 while teaching in Puerto Rico, and was later recognized as “Brewster Technical Center, Teacher of the Year” in 1995. She was awarded the “Distinguished Minority Educator” in 1995 while also teaching at Brewster Technical Center. She held positions of service in both the Puerto Rico Vocational Association and the Puerto Rico Home Economics Association in 1979. She was an advisor to students involved in the Future Homemakers of America and H.E.R.O. Club’s. While teaching at the J. Clifford MacDonald Training Center she was an advisor to the members of the Turning Point Club. Dora’s career objective was “To utilize my vast experience in the area of education to modify behavior and enhance the knowledge and skills of my students and their significant others in the pursuit of a better quality of life.”
Dora was involved in several professional organizations to include the following: Hillsborough Vocational Association (HVA); Florida Home Economics Education Association (FHEA); Florida Vocational Association (FVA); and the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority.
Dora was a devoted and faithful member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida. She was a teacher of many people at the church as well, working loyally within the RCIA program as a Catechist for many years. Her relationship with the Lord was everlasting and Dora’s philosophy on life was… “Very simple—God first, and the rest is His command.”
Dora touched many lives and many hearts. She was the definition of a great hostess; throwing many family parties, gatherings, weddings, and celebrations over the years. She truly relished in bringing joy to
others through music, dancing, and home cooked meals. Her hobbies included reading, sewing, cooking, baking, crafts, and travel. Over the years, she built an extensive thimble and plate collection, representing many places around the world. Dora was a strong and passionate woman who loved her family deeply. She will be incredibly missed and always remembered. She was a courageous woman who believed in focusing on the sunny side of life. Her grace, seeds of wisdom, and beautiful smile will be cherished forever.
Dora is survived by her four sons: Jose Pablo, Jose Manuel, Jose Rafael, and Jose Antonio Maldonado; Daughters-in-Law: Patricia A. Maldonado, Lisa Maldonado, and Melissa Maldonado; grandchildren: Alyssa Marie Grammer, Alexander Patrick Maldonado, Vincent Michael Maldonado, Maria Lisette Maldonado, and Krystian Angel Maldonado; Sister-in-Law: Maria C. Lamas; Nephews: Jose Antonio Lamas and Juan Carlos Lamas; and a host of other family and very dear friends.
Visitation on Wednesday June 13, 2018 from 7 pm-9 pm at Boza & Roel Funeral Home 4730 N. Armania Ave Tampa Fl 33603. A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday June 14, 2018 at St. Paul Catholic Church 12708 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618 at 3 pm.
In respect of Dora’s wishes, the family requests in lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dora’s name to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul 12708 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa, FL 33618. Please make your check out to St Vincent de Paul and then in the memo section please write
In memory of Dora Maldonado.
One of Dora’s favorite writings…
“Do not let your hearts be troubled”
“We must live fully each day, accepting joyously and thankfully the thousand blessings that the good Lord showers on each of us. We must gain strength through joy – not the joy that dissipates, that intoxicates, that takes us out of ourselves. I mean the joy which is love, with which we recognize unmistakably the echo, the trace of God in everything that happens. Try to get into the habit of always giving thanks to God; and you will see what strength and vitality this habit will give your soul. Instead of being buried under the mountains of our difficulties, let us try to find the small window toward the infinite, and then nobody, nothing, will ever be able to imprison us. What is more beneficial, at a time when suffering is great, than to repose in the contemplation of something beautiful, even if it is merely a ray of sunshine setting a nasturtium aflame.
Let us learn to be less superficial, less prone to complain and see the bad side of things; and we shall then discover unsuspected treasures. And little by little, this splendid thing will happen: we will be able to say, like Saint Paul, “Nothing can separate me from the love of Christ, neither hunger nor prison nor death…”
But to achieve this state, we must begin by wanting it a little, by emerging from personal preoccupations, in order to discover that there is someone else continually concerned with us, who will save us in spite of everything.”
Author: Mother Marie Des Douleurs
Foundress of the Benedictine Sisters of Jesus Crucified
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