Grandma Allita

Margarita was her name, which means Daisy in Spanish. She loved this flower’s modest cheery beauty, and we loved hers. But we called her Allita.

Allita the storyteller tied us, her granddaughters, to our Cuban roots, introducing us to places and people we’ve only met in her tales.

Allita composed fun and funny songs, and

we still echo your soothing humming when alone.

Allita, our playmate and referee, taught us how to play checkers and parcheesi, and conducted raffles to decide our turns for taking showers.

Allita, devoted faith-keeper, paced the hallways nightly as she prayed the rosary to her beloved Mary.

Allita urged us to learn to swim, to drive, and to speak English, as her not having done so were probably the greatest regrets in her long, full life.

Allita wore earrings and perfume every day, and as her eyesight faded she had us pluck her chin hair.

Allita was blind the last years of her life, yet she could still see each of us quite clearly.