Obituary of Ana M. Gonzalez Espinosa

Ana "Annie" Gonzalez Espinosa, 79, of Vineland, NJ, was called to be with the Lord on June 18, 2020. Annie was born February 13, 1941, in Utuado, Puerto Rico. She was a strong voice and leader for the Puerto Rican community ever since her arrival in Vineland, New Jersey in 1961. She worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those in need, never accepting "no" for an answer. She co-founded Mujeres Latinas en Accion C.C. to provide much-needed assistance to women and families struggling in the area. Annie has been described as a "warrior" as she proudly promoted Puerto Rico's heritage through her services to the Puerto Rican Festival Committee for over 40 years and stepped into leadership roles several times in the last decade. Annie continued to support family, friends, and the community despite her own challenging circumstances. The void her loss creates can never be filled, but her message of kindness, community pride, and civic action will be carried forward by her family, friends, and the many lives she touched. The community has lost one of its greatest advocates and supporters. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Marilyn Cintron and Evelyn LaBoy of Vineland; 5 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonardo "Tato" Espinosa and son, Elliot LaBoy. Funeral services and burial will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2020 at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Vineland. Arrangements are by DeMarco-Luisi Funeral Home 2755 S. Lincoln Ave., Vineland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in Annie's name to F.N.E.M. fund: MLA-FNEM, 21 Evelyn Avenue, Vineland, NJ 08360. Memories, thoughts and prayers may be extended to the family by visiting dlfuneral.com.