Dolores C. Larrea

Dolores Larrea
January 28, 1933 - June 22, 2010
Loving wife
The Best Mom in the World
Intercessor and Prayer Warrior

Dolores Caridad Larrea was born Dolores Caridad Castro Duque (no relation to Fidel, thank goodness). Born in Cananova, located in the northern part of the province of Oriente in Cuba. The oldest of 6 children, she learned the meaning of responsibility at a very early age, having to care for the brothers and sisters that came every 1 to 2 years. Her parents divorced when she was very young and at the age of 11, her aunt (on her dad's side) who lived in Santiago, sent for her so she could get a better education.

Dolores went to live with her Aunt Candida Rosa and her cousin Maria with whom she became inseparable. She attended a Catholic school where her religious education began. She was an excellent student, well loved by her teachers, especially one nun whom she loved dearly and whom she named her daughter Margarita after.

At the age of 20 she met her husband Gaspar Larrea, married and had one daughter. At the age of 34 she immigrated to the United States with her husband and daughter, and thus began a new phase of her life, having left her beloved country, mother, family and friends. Initially the family settled in Los Angeles, California, then moved to Miami, New Jersey and finally settled for good in Orlando.

Of course she did not know the language when she arrived in this country, but that did not keep her from trying to communicate and getting to know others. She bought herself a little Spanish/English, English/Spanish dictionary that she carried in her pocket at all times and learned to speak English to such extent, that she would be called to translate by the doctors at Orlando Regional HealthCare Systems where she worked for 35 years.

Dolores had a poet's soul and her poetry was exceptional. She had a way of turning a word and painting a picture so vivid, you could not help but visualize it in your mind. Even when she wrote something on a card it sounded like prose.

She loved the Word of God and sought wisdom and comfort from it on a daily basis. To Dolores, loving God and loving thy neighbor were not mere words that were to be taken lightly. As it is written in Matthew 22:36-40, the disciples asked Jesus: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' "This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There were no strangers for her. She always had a smile or a word of comfort to give away, and did everything in her power to lend a hand to anyone in need. Her daughter used to tell her that she should have been a social worker because she could not see anyone in need that she would not attempt to help.

Her pride and joy was her daughter Margarita. Even in her Dementia, she never forgot her name and would always call her: "my sweet little girl." Her husband was her true love and she was an excellent example of the type of wife God wants women to be. This October they would have celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary.

Dolores was a very unpretentious woman, very practical and hard working. She loved cats and had several of them through the years. She loved plants and had such a green thumb that people used to give her dying plants so she could bring them back to life, and that she did. She was not big on shopping, but did love shoes. She was also the type of person who would never step outside the door even for a minute without having her dress (she did not like to wear pants), her stockings, slip (even if it was 100 degrees outside), make-up and her hair was nicely done. This is something her daughter kept up even when Dolores went to reside in the Nursing Home. She had the sweetest hairdresser in the world, Ms. Faye, who would come to do her hair on her one day off, and always left a satisfied customer.

Dolores was the most positive person you would ever want to know. You never heard her complain about anything; on the contrary, she always thanked God for everything good or bad and held fast to the scripture that says: "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:18).


Finally, Dolores was an awesome prayer warrior. She maintained a long list of names sometimes reaching almost 100, for whom she did intercessory prayer on a weekly basis. Once the prayers were answered, she would check them off and would give God all the glory for it. She and her family saw many, many miracles come to pass thanks to those prayers.

As you can see, Dolores lived her life for others, oftentimes forgetting about herself, but this is what made her happy. Her motto was: "do for others while they are still living. Do all that you can and love them no matter what. Accept people for who they are and where they are at. If God in His infinite wisdom can have such grace for us, then why should we not extend that same kind of grace?"

Dolores will be terribly missed by many, especially by her husband Gaspar and daughter Margarita Maria. But they rest in the knowledge that she has gone to be with her Lord, and that were she is at there is no disease and no tears. Her mind is the best that it's ever been; there is no dementia in heaven only joy and everlasting peace.