Obituary for Blanca Rosa Riffas (Pascual)
Blanca Rosa Riffas (nee Pascual)
Blanca Rosa was born on 27 January 1944 to the [late] Alfonso and Serafina Pascual in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. She moved to Brooklyn, New York, at a very young age where she spent her childhood, adolescence, and most of her young adult life. Blanca resided in Queens, NY, before her current residence of over 28 years in Willingboro, NJ.
Blanca was a hard dedicated worker holding positions in customer and medical transportation services prior to joining the United States Postal Service where she worked as a Postal Carrier for many years before retiring. Yet, Blanca’s true passion was in the arts. She loved crafts, drawing, painting, and illustrations; she was also extremely creative as a self-taught seamstress; and “if music be the food of love,” Blanca played on and on. She loved music, all music, from anything of her native Spanish tongue to instrumental, classical, rock, country, soul, rhythm & blues, jazz, hip-hop, and disco. Second only to her passion for art was her passion for food, which proved its own creative outlet as she was well recognized for her cooking. Most go through this life with simplicity towards security as they learn to first crawl, walk, and then run – Blanca jumped in, embraced, and cherished each moment with joy, zest, and vigor as she danced, created, and indulged from the onset through every step of her way and her journey.
Affectionately known as “Grandma” to everyone in her latter years, Blanca was always kind and generous towards others as much as she was loved by everyone. Above all else, she loved spending time with her family and friends – living, loving, and laughing loud.
On Sunday, 20 March 2022, the light of this beacon dimmed at the tender young age of 78.
The heavens have their angel back and we are all the more blessed to have lived in her presence, even if only for a moment, for she was, is, and will forever be a beautiful woman, the quintessential lady, a loving mother, caring grandmother, graceful daughter, fearless sister, devoted wife, cherished partner, trusted friend, creative artist, purposeful, strong, and the very best of all good qualities in a person.
Blanca is survived by her mother, Serafina; her siblings, John, Lillian, and Nellie; her beloved husband of 41 years, Jose L. Riffas; her children, Louis Manuel Torres, Ramon Torres, Lisa Ann Torres, and Eric G. Gordon; 30 [great-]grandchildren; and the countless friends and lives she touched throughout her life.
Family and friends are welcome to her viewing on Saturday, 2 April 2022, from 12:00-2:00PM, followed immediately by her funeral service at 2:00PM. A luncheon will follow services. All will be held at Mount Laurel Home for Funerals, 212 Ark Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054.
Services will also be livestreamed at 2PM at Mount Laurel Home for Funerals' YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqHO67wpBsUSkgPDUxZiBw.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Blanca’s honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the following link:
https://www.stjude.org/
Blanca Rosa was born on 27 January 1944 to the [late] Alfonso and Serafina Pascual in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. She moved to Brooklyn, New York, at a very young age where she spent her childhood, adolescence, and most of her young adult life. Blanca resided in Queens, NY, before her current residence of over 28 years in Willingboro, NJ.
Blanca was a hard dedicated worker holding positions in customer and medical transportation services prior to joining the United States Postal Service where she worked as a Postal Carrier for many years before retiring. Yet, Blanca’s true passion was in the arts. She loved crafts, drawing, painting, and illustrations; she was also extremely creative as a self-taught seamstress; and “if music be the food of love,” Blanca played on and on. She loved music, all music, from anything of her native Spanish tongue to instrumental, classical, rock, country, soul, rhythm & blues, jazz, hip-hop, and disco. Second only to her passion for art was her passion for food, which proved its own creative outlet as she was well recognized for her cooking. Most go through this life with simplicity towards security as they learn to first crawl, walk, and then run – Blanca jumped in, embraced, and cherished each moment with joy, zest, and vigor as she danced, created, and indulged from the onset through every step of her way and her journey.
Affectionately known as “Grandma” to everyone in her latter years, Blanca was always kind and generous towards others as much as she was loved by everyone. Above all else, she loved spending time with her family and friends – living, loving, and laughing loud.
On Sunday, 20 March 2022, the light of this beacon dimmed at the tender young age of 78.
The heavens have their angel back and we are all the more blessed to have lived in her presence, even if only for a moment, for she was, is, and will forever be a beautiful woman, the quintessential lady, a loving mother, caring grandmother, graceful daughter, fearless sister, devoted wife, cherished partner, trusted friend, creative artist, purposeful, strong, and the very best of all good qualities in a person.
Blanca is survived by her mother, Serafina; her siblings, John, Lillian, and Nellie; her beloved husband of 41 years, Jose L. Riffas; her children, Louis Manuel Torres, Ramon Torres, Lisa Ann Torres, and Eric G. Gordon; 30 [great-]grandchildren; and the countless friends and lives she touched throughout her life.
Family and friends are welcome to her viewing on Saturday, 2 April 2022, from 12:00-2:00PM, followed immediately by her funeral service at 2:00PM. A luncheon will follow services. All will be held at Mount Laurel Home for Funerals, 212 Ark Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054.
Services will also be livestreamed at 2PM at Mount Laurel Home for Funerals' YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqHO67wpBsUSkgPDUxZiBw.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Blanca’s honor may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the following link:
https://www.stjude.org/