ANDRADE, EDILMA PABON GARZON

A funeral mass was held Aug. 18 at Saint Joseph’s and Saint Michael’s Catholic Church in Union City for Edilma Pabon Garzon Andrade of North Bergen. She died on Aug. 5th of natural causes at her home. Born on a farm in La Cabrera, Colombia on December 15th, 1939 to Matilde Garzon Gutierrez and Pedro Eliseo Pabon Romero, she and her family later moved to Bogota following displacement from the FARC, then emigrated to her final home in the United States in 1970. Edilma is survived by her four daughters: Claudia Andrade (John Downs), Adriana Andrade-Salgado (Olsen Salgado), Erika Andrade, PhD (Robert Sears, PhD), and Laura Andrade (Chad Zanardelli), and seven grandchildren: Camille, Silas, Penelope, James, Jasper, Hazel, and Xavier. She is also survived by her brother, Jorge, and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents, brothers Armando and Tito, and sisters Silvia and Dora. Edilma graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia with a degree in Biology. After graduating, she became an elementary science teacher marking the start of her career in elementary education, which she continued at several schools in Northern New Jersey and New York City. Edilma will be most remembered for her charm, pragmatism, tenacity and courage in the face of many seemingly insurmountable challenges throughout her life. Her fortitude and steadfast belief that anything was possible if one dedicated enough time and energy to solving the problem profoundly influenced her four daughters and compelled them to a number of accomplishments in both career and family. Her counsel and love of her family will be deeply missed by the many people who loved her.