The following was written upon the death of my Tia Amanda, whose eyes grace the top of this blog, and was republished this month in a local magazine called "El Bayames":
Originally posted on Babalu Blog by Val Prieto July 18 2007
Via our famous cousin John O'Donnell Rosales aka Piqui maternal grandson of "Tio Leo".
The amazing story of the adventurous Laramendi brothers and their ties to the Lopez Comas family of Bayamo Cuba.
"I submitted a new Newspaper article for my newspaper column "Rosales' History of the South" which is on the Laramendi brothers (one of which was the father of "Mamacita") who were Confederate Officers on the Blockade Runner "San Quintin" and goes back to our ancestor Maria "La Ciboney" and Guiseppi Battista.
My Great, Great, Grandfather Captain Jose Comas Laramenedi, was a Cuban Confederate Blockade Runner( and Father of Rosa Comas Batista our dear "Mamacita")
"The Laramendi brothers of Oriente Province, Cuba ran the Union blockade from Cuba into the ports of New Orleans, Mobile, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as in Florida at different times during the war.
They had a small sloop named the San Quintin. They were never captured and both are buried in Cuba. Their surname has also been found as Larramendi.
Jose Comas Laramendi was the Captain of the blockade runner San Quintin.
He married Paulina Rosa Batista (Mamacita's Mother born 1865, died November 3, 1943). She is buried in Cauto, Oriente Province, Cuba.
She was the daughter of Guiseppi Battista, of Florence, Italy and Luz Barra or Barras, of Cuba, daughter of Maria “La Ciboney” Barra or Barras.
Luz Barra was one of the few remaining descendants of the Native Cuban Taino, Ciboney Indians.
Jose Comas Laramendi was the son of Jose Comas and Teresa Laramendi. He is said to be buried in Jabaco, Oriente Province, Cuba.
The family of Guiseppi Battista adopted the Spanish spelling of Batista, with one T.
Manuel "Manolito" Laramendi was the brother of Jose Comas Batistsa and served as his 1st Lt on the blockade runner San Quintin.
He married Alta Gracia (no surname found).He is buried in Oriente Province, Cuba".
Remembering our resplendent Rosa Irma Companioni on the first anniversary of her tragic death last September 19 2010 our lovely and talented Goddaughter Gabriella revealed her deep emotion, Intellect and love of family In this moving note to our beloved "Mima"
Posted Via Facebook by my Incredible sister & Gabriella's mom Isabel Companioni
Abuela By Gaby
"It was a tragic accident, we were in shock. But what happened brought us together as a family. We did not weaken we stood strong and tall.
Sure we cried, but we cried together as a family. We cried then and we cry now. Now I don't usually cry, but I cry when I see my family cry too. We work as one. When one of us is sad, we are all sad. When one of us is happy, we are all happy.
As Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided cannot stand." And what he meant is if we turn on each other we will get nowhere.
So there are a few more things I would like to say. One, even if we are sad right now, would you rather be sad or be happy that you know Abuela is in a better place. Second, the memories we had with Abuela will be locked in our hearts and minds forever. Lastly, we cannot change what happened to her, but we can change our perspective about it".
Gabriella Is the proud granddaughter of Rosa Irma Companioni (RIP) & Roberto Companioni
Pipo & Mima In Jatibonico, Camaguey province where they met and were engaged after her father "Mundo" a railroad station agent was transferred there from Oriente province Cuba circa 1960 Notice the train on the left. Via The Lopez Family On Facebook.
Este bellisimo poema en Punto Cubano que se puede ver al fin de la pagina fue escrito por la mama de la cantante Albita, Minerva Herrera, para mi madre querida Rosa Irma Companioni, que ademas de ser una gran madre, esposa, hermana y amiga era poeta, cantante, artista y maestra. Fue siempre una aliada y doquiera una tremenda alegria.
Dicha Inspiracion fue escuchada por centenares de asistentes en su velorio el 23 de Septiembre 2010 y tambien durante la Misa Sagrada antes de su sepelio.
Al fin de la misa, Impresionantemente le cantaron La Bayamesa como era su deseo, dejando a todos extremamente emocionados.
Mima o la gorda como a veces yo le decia, por su gana de comer cafe con leche con pan, nacio en Bayamo Cuba 10/1/1939 y fallecio 9/19/2010 en Port Orange, Florida en un funesto viaje de automobile. Sobrevivieron mi padre y su hermana Marielena.
Ahora a pesar del dolor que yo siento por su partida me consuelo con el saber de que Dios la tiene en su eterna gloria. Y que para siempre en el cielo junto estara con Rai su hermano, padrino mio, Mundo su papa, Morbila su mama y sus otros queridos familiares Lopez Comas.
Siento en mi alma tambien que con el poder de su amor y carino, Mima le dejo a nuestra dispersa familia fuerzas tanta alineadas como reunificantes. Fuerzas que yo pienso Inspiraron la creacion de esa fabulosa pagina en Facebook The Lopez Family, donde actualmente se encuentra y se reconoce nuestra hermosa familia online, gracias en gran parte a ella. Considero esto un verdadero fenomeno. Por eso y por muchisimo mas te adoramos y nunca te olvidaremos.
Il Cuore di Mamma e Sempre Il Piu Sincero
El Corazon de Mamma Es Siempre El Mas Sincero
From left to right above Mundo, Rai & Morbila
My Abuelo Mundo who died In 1983 while I was In the Army In West Germany during the Cold War was a quiet man who was a railroad station agent In Cuba & who provided his family with everything they needed especially the ability to travel by train From Jatibonico to Havana for his son Rai's urgent medical needs. There they stayed with Prima Raquel who lived In the Cuban capitol.
Mundo was one of 17 brothers and sisters that make up the Lopez Comas clan. A couple of others are Tio "Chu" & Tio Leo grandfathers to my cousins Val Prieto & John Rosales respectively
My Padrino Rai will always be my singular hero for his Incredible fortitude,stoicism & spirituality He suffered from a very rare condition known as De Vanti Syndrome which affected his muscular skeletal system and left him deformed and In perpetual pain which he endured without complaint from the age of 15 In Cuba till his death In exile In 1993 at just 44 yrs old.
Despite multiple brushes with death In which he was given his last rites and thrice weekly sessions of blood transfusions In his last years of life & from which he drove himself back and forth, he was undaunted and excelled In Living life to the fullest.
He went on to finish college In NJ, was a talented artist, painter, poet, writer, beautician and cook. He loved his family and was an extraordinary example to all who knew him. Another brother of his, Ramoncito died at 5 yrs old In Cuba from the same basic symptoms that later plagued Rai till his ultimate death.
My Abuela Pipila was a beautiful and loving woman who gave everything she had to her family and her beloved son but who succumbed to Alzheimer's shortly after Rai's death In 1993. She was then cared for lovingly for the next 15 years till she passed away In 2008 at her daughter Elia's nursing home which she had opened specifically for her and continues to run.
Morbila and Mundo are remembered In part for their famous wedding In Bayamo In which they won a special radio station drawing that provided everything for the extraordinary nuptial.
Pipo and Mima In Jerusalem 6-4-2010 Mima was extremely spiritual and had visited multiple Marion sites around the US & the world. As a kid In Elizabeth NJ I recall her going on her knees several blocks to St Anthony's church In thanks for some saintly Intercession. My dad recalled that she did something similar but on a much longer route when they were In Cuba.
She was a factory worker for years In early exile as well as a housewife, beautician and special kids teacher In Elizabeth. She was a fabulous singer and played the piano as well. She loved life to the fullest and prayed the rosary every day of her life. Along with my dad they dedicated much of their time in retirement with helping my sister Sissi care for her special needs son Andres who since July 17 2001 at the age of 3 choked on some grapes and was left with considerable brain damage.
At the time of the car accident close to 15:00 In the afternoon was when Mima would usually do her rosary and It's thought she was praying In the passenger side back seat of the minivan but without her seat belt on when she suddenly died of head trauma sustained after a tire blowout caused a rollover that sent them Into a ditch. My father driving and his sister Marielena "Nenita" survived. They were wearing their seat belts.
Days after the accident Pipo, me and my two other brothers Richie and "Baby" went back to recover the car and all of It's cargo In Port Orange from West Palm Beach Fighting the aftereffects of shock the whole time. The van was totaled and with much grief we emptied It's salvageable remains.We also recovered the debris of the exploded tire from the Florida state troopers station and talked with a couple of the troopers who had been at the scene. There was nothing more we could do.
My Brother "Baby" placed a semi permanent flower memorial that was made & given to him by Mima's twin sisters Elia and Aurora at the accident site which I think was about exit 206 on Southbound I-95 on his way back to Jersey with his family last year.
Ironically that's where my parents and aunt were coming from when the tragedy occurred Coincidentally right after the rollover a Florida roads worker who was also a preacher arrived on the scene to give Mima her last rites.We met him again upon visiting the site of the accident where he remembered her and consoled us once more alleviating our sorrow at the tragic scene. The Lord works In mysterious ways.
Many other people also witnessed the accident Including Incredibly a church friend of my cousin Cristy and her mom Aurora, Mima's sister, who pulled over and along with dozens of other good Samaritans helped straighten out the minivan, lifting It off my mom who'd been thrown out of her side window. and was pinned underneath. They remained there consoling my dad and aunt who were In shock until more help arrived.
A special mention to my cousin Franc Nenita's oldest son and his dad Tio Fran who went Immediately down along with with my sister "Sissi" from Miami and West Palm Beach. Franc was Instrumental In getting the authorities to waive an autopsy & not without a bureaucratic hassle and his thoughtful sense of humor and communicative ability helped to alleviate an otherwise horrible nightmare for everyone there. He was also the first to notified me of this tragedy.. Mille Grazie mio cugino.
Mil gracias tambien a nuestra gran amiga y una persona super especial Minerva Herrera por su sentido poema dedicada de una Mima para la otra. Viviras para siempre en nuestros corazones.
Poema Para Mima
Por Minerva 'Mima' Herrera
Es doloroso saber
Que con tu adios Rosa Irma
El destino nos confirma
La fuerza de su poder.
Mas podemos comprender
Que con la luz de tu anhelo,
Y tu presencia modelo
Sumamente divertida
Puedes alegrar la vida
De los angeles del cielo.
Adornaran tus mananas
En un marco doloroso
La soledad de tu esposo
Y el dolor de tus hermanas.
Cuanta nostalgia desgranas
En todo el que no te olvida,
Pero desde el cielo cuidas
Cuatro hijos que seran
Lagrimas que empenaran
El dia de tu partida.
Adios Rosa Irma adios
Llevate el amor fraterno
Para que un descanso eterno
Tengas al lado de Dios.
Marcha de la Gloria en pos
Y alegra con tus cantares
Los sacrosantos Altares
Donde quedaran Impresos
Los recuerdos y los besos
De todos tus Familiares
Mima Idolizaba y copiaba el estilo sonero de Olga Guillot. Tanto era su admiracion que con sus hermanas assistieron en el velorio de la misma Reina del Bolero cuando ella fallecio en Miami pocos meses anterior en el 2010.
Por eso los dejo con una de sus favoritas temas.
"Yo Regresare" cantada por Olga Guillot "I Will Return" (To my beautiful Cuba)
Esto es una foto que compuse con las fotos individuales de los componentes de esta gran familia y que fuí obteniendo poco a poco de otros familiares. Nuestro deseo es que todos los miembros de la familia que tengan acceso al internet posteen fotos e historias familiares para que mantengamos vivo sus recuerdos y ayudemos a las nuevas generaciones a recordar a sus familiares y sus raices.
Silvita, hija de Teté y Coso, hermana de Valentín, nieta de Chú y Silvia.
