Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Ana Belkis Gonzalez was born in Cuba to her parents Maria and Carlos Rios in 1937. She was raised with her three sisters and four brothers. Ana always said that her father was the best man on the face of the earth. She looked up to him, as he led by example. She always spoke highly of her mother and respected her dearly. Family was everything to Ana. She was very close with her parents and siblings, as they had an excellent relationship. Ana was a well-educated young lady in Cuba. Through work, Ana met Nibaldo Gonzalez. Nibaldo was fighting against the revolutionary army of Fidel Castro. He was guarding a location where Ana was gathering votes. The couple dated for two months and Ana's entire family fell in love with Nibaldo. The couple married in December 1958. Their son, Carlos, was born a year later in December 1959.

When the government allowed people to leave the Island of Cuba, the family decided to relocate to the United States. Ana, Nibaldo, and Carlos moved in 1967, when Carlos was seven-years-old. Ana only had $7.00 in her pocket and the clothes on her back. They flew to Florida and three months later moved to Burbank, California. Young Carlos was a huge help because he was extremely intelligent, knew English and could translate for his parents. Ana missed her family tremendously, but with communism in Cuba, there were better opportunities in the United States. Ana took odd jobs, while Nibaldo started working for the City of Glendale and later ended up retiring from the Glendale Post Office. The couple's daughter, Maria, was born the following year in December 1968. With two wonderful children, their family was complete and Ana was happy to be a homemaker. When Maria was three-years-old, the family moved into their home in Glendale. As a mom, Ana was loving and super involved. Carlos took an interest in drama and he liked to direct. Maria enjoyed spending every minute with her mother.

Ana loved having pets throughout the years. She loved cats and had chickens and goldfish along the way. Her favorite was a black cat named "Memo," that lived to be 16-years-old. Everyone was welcomed at Ana and Nibaldo's home. Maria and Carlos' friends visited the family home often and Ana liked making food for them. She loved throwing parties on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. For 38 years at their home in Glendale, Ana loved cooking for her family and friends. Her specialties were rice with chicken, brown rice with beans, and she liked to barbeque. She enjoyed making traditional Cuban soup, which she said gave her strength. Ana was an incredible caregiver over the years, especially to her husband, Nibaldo, who was insulin dependent with Type 1 Diabetes. She took excellent care of him during their 51 years together. They were husband and wife, partners and best friends.

Over the years, Ana went back to Cuba to visit family once with Nibaldo and twice with Maria. Her family and heritage were very important in her life and she always loved listening to Salsa music. On Saturday mornings when the kids were growing up, they would dance in front of the living room mirror to Salsa, Spanish and Cuban music. They listened to music inside and outside of the home. Ana also liked songs by Marc Anthony. One time, Maria and a friend went with her parents on a four-hour drive to Las Vegas and they listened to Marc Anthony during the entire drive. Ana liked watching her novellas on television. She made sure that family and friends left her home by 7:00 PM so she could watch her soap operas. She had a set routine, as she liked being home rather than traveling. Her big outing was to Sizzler, because she loved that restaurant and its salad bar.

Ana was so pleased when Maria started dating David. She loved him and knew he would always take care of Maria. The couple married in 1997. Her greatest joy after the birth of her own children, were the births of her grandchildren: Damien, Nicole, and Diana. When Maria was pregnant with Nicole, she was bedridden for six months. Ana made strawberry milkshakes for Maria every two hours and made sure she was eating. Ana was at the hospital when each one of her grandchildren was born. Nicole and Diana called Ana, "Mami"; while they called Maria, "Tata". Ana's whole life was the girls. She was very motherly and saw the girls almost every day of the week. She'd talk to Maria several times a day and ask, "Did the girls eat?" She liked cooking for the girls and was concerned with their well being. Ana hugged them all of the time and loved her granddaughters. For the girls' birthdays, the family celebrated with an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins. Ana threw big parties in the backyard for the kids. And, she was a jokester who loved to laugh. She was funny and her family often said, "I can't believe she said that." The family enjoyed a lot of laughter together.

For 40 years, Ana sold Avon. She valued skincare, had beautiful skin and always looked really pretty. She loved all bright colors and holidays. Her favorite month of the year was December, because of her wedding anniversary, both of her children's' birthdays, Christmas and New Year's Eve. For Christmas, she always decorated the family home with a real tree and lights. Even this past year when the family discouraged her from decorating because of her illness she said, "Oh, no. We're decorating." It always looked so beautiful when she decorated. Ana also had a green thumb. She adored gardening. People would stop by their home, knock on the door and ask about her garden and roses. Her roses were spectacular in front of her home and she grew lettuce, oranges, lemons, apples, peaches, and avocados. The plants in her home are absolutely perfect. She woke up at 5:00 AM to tend to her yard and do her gardening. It was exciting to her and she loved working in the sunshine. Inside of her home, the windows were always open, letting the sunshine into the rooms. Just like her life, as her home was always open, she welcomed people into her world. She enjoyed being at home and spending her afternoons on the front porch with Nibaldo. In a brief conversation with anyone, she could figure out what you were all about. She had the ability to read people and she was always right.

With many favorite sayings, Ana often shared advice with Maria. She said in Spanish:

"Don't leave for tomorrow what you can get done today, because you don't know what tomorrow will bring."
"Life is only one, so make the most of It."
"When you're having a good time, enjoy it."

Ana knew that life had fewer good times in it because she lived through so much. She had nursed her 27-year-old brother when he was dying of leukemia in Cuba. She cared for her 27-year-old son, Carlos, when he became ill in 1987 and passed away a year later. She was always by Carlos' side at the hospital and still made sure the dishes were washed at home and the refrigerator was stocked with food. She managed to take care of everyone. Her son adored her and his passing was so very difficult, but she was with him when he passed away in the middle of the night in his sleep. Ana also supported Maria in every way as she helped to care for her grandson, Damien, when he was extremely ill. She went to every single doctor's appointment with Maria and Damien. She told Maria, "Don't cry in front of him, you need to be strong. Do everything you can for him so you don't have regrets." When Damien passed away in 1994, Ana helped guide Maria as she made funeral arrangements and found a way to move forward. In many ways, Ana led by example, as she stayed with people during their toughest times and loved them in their final moments. She taught everyone about love. As a mother-in-law, when David was running a fever, she made him chicken soup so he'd feel better. She cared so much about other people. She must have been a doctor in her last life, because she always took care of everybody around her. Ana Gonzalez was truly an angel in her family.

After each challenging illness, Ana always seemed to bounce back. But, then she was diagnosed this past November with a stage four malignant brain tumor. The day she found out, Maria sat on her hospital bed and told her the news. Ana said, "Do me a favor. Take care of your dad, take care of your husband and be a good mother to your children. At my funeral, put a white rose on my chest, buy your dad a suit and make sure you look really pretty. I'll always be here in spirit. We never want our parents to die, but it's the circle of life." Ana offered her words of comfort, as she was always thinking of everyone else. Even when she was getting radiation treatments, she still cooked meals for her doctors and the hospital staff. She'd take them food at the USC Norris Cancer Center. Despite her illness, in February Ana threw a birthday party for Nicole and Diana. She also hoped she would be well enough for Maria and David to take a special week long vacation to Hawaii. Maria's friend stayed with Ana and Nibaldo for the week. Through sheer strength, she made it through that time for her daughter. After they returned, Ana went back to the hospital for a blood transfusion. She was really holding on for them to go on that special trip.

Although Ana was always there "in sickness and in health" for Nibaldo, it was Nibaldo that was there for Ana these past several months. He would wake up in the middle of the night several times to get her something to drink or eat, rub her feet and comfort her. Ana stayed in her own home, until she became very ill in late April. While in the hospital, Maria held her mother's hand a lot during her closing days. The Saturday before she passed, Ana squeezed Maria's hand so hard that nothing more needed be said. In her final hours, Maria held her hand and gave her permission to go with comforting words by saying, "I love you. I'll take care of things with dad, my husband and my kids. Don't worry; I'll be strong. I want you to be proud of me." Ana was always proud of her daughter. Maria had been praying to God to be by her mother's side when she passed away, and he answered her prayers. It was early on Saturday morning, around 1:00 AM. Maria was leaning on a pillow next to the bedrail, but she never let go of her mother's hand. She dozed off and David tapped her shoulder and said that Ana had passed away. Ana Gonzalez passed away peacefully, as her daughter held her hand the entire time.

Maria has always felt lucky and blessed to have Ana as her mother. Her mother was everything to her. She was also her best friend and other half. She never judged her. Instead, she was her number one fan. They had so much fun together and talked several times a day, even if Maria was out of town. Maria respected her mother as a woman and mentor. Ana was always there for her and they had a great relationship. Even though Ana suffered through many tragedies, she was a woman of strength who found a way to move forward each and every time. She was also an amazing mother-in-law to David and a wonderful grandmother to Nicole and Diana. Whether you knew her as Ana or Belkis, she was a happy person, who was loving and caring. Maria will miss her mom's smile because she was always so happy to see you. Ana's purpose in life was to be a caregiver. She was so very thoughtful in every way. Ana's advice would be: "Remember everything I taught you, move forward and live life."

Ana believed in God and Heaven and she was always spiritual. The family believes that she will be reunited with her brother, her son and grandson. One day, the family feels they will see her again. Ana asked to be laid to rest with a single white rose on her chest and her family will honor her wishes. This past Christmas, David bought four Tiffany pearl eternity bracelets for Ana, Maria, Nicole and Diana. Ana is wearing her bracelet today and forever, so when Maria, Nicole and Diana wear their bracelets, they will know Ana is with them always.

Ana was preceded in death by her parents, one sister and two brothers; son Carlos; and grandson Damien. She is loved and remembered by her husband of 51 years Nibaldo; daughter Maria and son-in-law David; granddaughters Nicole and Diana; extended family and many friends.