YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Natividad Vazquez Navarro, son of Vicente Vazquez and Eladia Navarro, left this life on Friday, July 16, 2021.
He was born on September 7, 1939 on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico in Hato, San Lorenzo. He was the third of 12 children.
Natividad was trained with Tomas de Castro in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Raised as a devout Catholic, he attended the church of Las Mercedes de San Lorenzo.
He grew up on a farm with his grandparents, parents and siblings. Much of his childhood was spent tending the farm and exploring the mountains. He often referred to himself as “Jibaro”, a country man who lives in the mountains and is humble.
On March 5, 1960, at the tender age of 20, he arrived at Idlewild New York International Airport (now JFK). Here he met Willa Mina and they were married on August 6, 1967 in Far Rockaway, New York.
In 1969 they moved to Brooklyn, New York, and this union gave birth to John “Boobie”, Tasha “Unica Hija” and Natividad Jr. “Nico” in the 1970s.
After working as a nutritionist, Local 1199, Natividad retired in 2004 after working at the Far Rockaway Nursing Home for 30 years.
Natividad, affectionately known as “Papa V” and “Papi”, loved spending time with his family and his beloved dog Cotto (2007-2017). He enjoyed cooking Puerto Rican food and as he called it, he cooked down South Collard Greens (his wife taught him), played his guitar, listened to jazz, Puerto Rican jibaro music, R&B music, chatted with his family and dear friends back home in puerto rico, watching baseball, boxing and classic movies.
Leaving on memories, three children, John C. Vazquez, Tasha R. Vazquez, and Natividad Vazquez, Jr .; two grandchildren, Essence T. Vazquez and Amaya M. Vazquez; two brothers, Bibiano “Bibi” Vazquez and Geraldo “Chico” Vazquez; four sisters, Tomasita “Margie” Vazquez, Cerefina “Fina” Martinez, Rosa Vazquez and Santa Vazquez and many nieces, nephews, relatives, godchildren and lovable friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife Willa Mina (2001); his parents Vicente Vazquez and Eladia Navarro and his siblings Nicolas Vazquez Navarro, Juana Vazquez Navarro, Providencia Vazquez Navarro, Gregoria Vazquez Navarro and Fabian Vazquez Navarro.
The memorial service took place on Friday, July 23, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. at the Sealy Cuyler Funeral Home, LLC, Brooklyn, New York. The committal service took place on Wednesday, July 28th, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. Sterling-McCullough Williams Youngstown Chapel, with burial at Death Homestead Cemetery.
To send a flower arrangement or plant trees in memory of Natividad Vazquez Navarro, please Click here to visit our sympathy shop.
A TV Tribute will air Friday, July 30th at the following approximate times: 6:43 am on WYTV, 9:32 am on WKBN, 10:58 am on FOX, and 8:12 pm on MyYTV.
