Eleticia Villarreal

Eleticia "Juana" Villarreal, a Norwalk resident, passed away Monday, May 5, 2008 in Norwalk Hospital, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 53. Born on January 31, 1955 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she was the daughter of the late Bernardo and Avelina (Maldonado) Rendon-Pina. Eleticia's family emigrated to the states in August of 1969, where they settled in Norwalk. She was educated in local schools and graduated from Brien McMahon High School in 1973. She continued her education at UCONN, Storrs and Norwalk Community College, where she studied Social Services. Eleticia worked at Child Guidance Center of Mid-Fairfield County of Norwalk for fourteen years as a Bilingual Outreach worker until the time of her death. She was an avid volunteer and supporter of the Hispanic community, where everyone knew her for her positive, dependable and vibrant personality. She enjoyed music and loved to dance, as well as going to the beach and fishing. But most of all, her passion and focus was her family, where she spent time supporting her son's love for sports and surrounding herself amongst them all. She is survived by her son, Carlos A. Villarreal, Jr., with whom she lived with; a daughter, Tanya A. and her husband, Juan Velez, Sr. of Stamford; three sisters, Brigida C. Rendon, Barbara P. Amador and Avelina Morrero, all of Norwalk; two grandchildren, Juan A. Jr. and Juaquin A. Velez, both of Stamford; a God-Daughter; many nieces, nephews and cousin. A brother, Jaime T. "Tommy" Rendon, predeceased her in 1977. Eleticia's family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, May 8, 2008 in Norwalk's Hoyt-Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory (Raymond Community Funeral Home), 5 East Wall Street, from 4:00PM to 8:00PM. Her funeral will be held on Friday, May 9, 2008 at 9:30AM from the funeral parlor, where the funeral cortege will proceed to St. Joseph's R.C. Church, 85 S. Main Street, S. Norwalk, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00AM. The Rev. G. Frantz Desruisseaux will officiate. Interment will be held privately, at the convenience of the family.