Adela Cepeda

Querida bea

June 15, 1929 - February 12, 2018

Adela Lourdes Cepeda, affectionately known as "Bea” ever since her first granddaughter Alexis determined that was a much more appropriate way to pronounce abuela, was a devoted mother to Adela, Diogenes Jr., Juan Carlos, Helga, and Patricia, and a doting grandmother, aunt, and friend.

Born in Lorica, Colombia in 1929, Adela is remembered for being remarkably intelligent and studious. She graduated at the top of her class from the prestigious Escuela Normal de Cartagena.

To provide the best life and education for their family, Adela and her beloved late husband Diogenes moved to New York City in 1964. After 18 years of establishing themselves in New York, the couple started C & C Appliances in Long Island, where Adela meticulously managed the books and kept the business “in line.”

In the household of eight, which included her adored mother Tata, education was the number one priority. Adela made sure that each of her children graduated high school, worked, participated in athletics, studied Spanish, and went on to college.

Adela was a bookkeeper for Manhattan Commercial Corporation for over two decades, until her retirement in 1994. The company, where she nearly ran the import and export business alongside the owner, was also a place where all of her children worked after school.

Since retirement was never part of her plan, from 1994 Adela continued to work for her eldest daughter Adela’s company, Abacus Financial Group. Until 2016, she flew from New York to Chicago monthly and was an invaluable business associate to her daughter’s several enterprises. Adela also volunteered her time and accounting expertise to her local church, Our Holy Redeemer, as well as to several friends and family members.

In her spare time, Adela loved learning and was always reading the paper, completing crossword puzzles, cryptoquotes, or jumbles. In the evening, she enjoyed playing the card game “Arrancon” with her late sister Helga, and sister-cousins Nani and Tia Nesty. If it wasn’t card games, Adela loved visiting casinos.

Adela is survived by her five children, 14 grandchildren: Alexis, Alicia, Laura, Rio, Adelita, Christina, Annalisa, Albert, Vanessa, Julianna, Monika, Rose, Thor, and Tatika, nephew Ramon Jose, niece Maria Jose, Hernandito and Ana Mercedes, and many other loved ones.

We will celebrate her life and carry on her legacy by starting a fund in her honor at Arrupe College, a junior college for DREAMers and other students with great challenges. Nothing was more important to Adela than her family and education.