Ada H. Sanjurjo Casillas

On March 19, 2023, my grandmother Ada H. Sanjurjo Casillas (93), of Griswold, CT while holding my hand took her last breath and was called by God (the man, who she gave a run for his money) to go rest peacefully in his Kingdom. In and out of Hospice, she had more lives than Sylvester the Cat.  Ada was loved by everyone who got to know her but most importantly, she allowed everyone to love her back. Ada had a perverted sense of humor; she was quick with her sarcastic comebacks and kept everyone on their toes. Ada was a distinguished, elegant and a very mischievous woman, and when she walked into a room it was guaranteed that all heads would turn. And, up to the last minutes before she took her last breath, I did her nails, bathe her and dressed preciously, so that she could make her grand entrance in elegant style to visit with her passed loved ones and to start her new joyful life. (I must add that I knew she was watching and if I sent her off on a “hospital johnny” she would be very capable of pulling my legs in the middle of the night and probably never let me live it off).

She was gifted with the ability to see beyond what the normal eye can see; she was a Clairvoyant.  Everywhere Ada went she would point her finger to some random stranger and tell them what she was seeing whether they liked it or not.  She left everyone dumbfounded by her accurate and precise predictions and visions, and up to her very last days with a foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, she was telling one of the CNA’s (that the man she had was not good for her and she needed to let him go).

Ada was everything a granddaughter could ever wish for.  She was the light of my eyes just as much as I was hers. When Dementia took over, it was an illness that became a Parody, and she became a TikTok Live sensation. She would blow kisses to the many followers who had learned to love her spunky personality. Ada didn’t like any of her neighbors, she was captivated by her doctor, whom she claimed to have a relationship with and that he would visit her in the middle of the night. She would only go to church services to see the Pastor, according to her, he had a crush on her.  However, she could never understand why he was married to the bow-legged woman that would come with him to give the service instead of her. She played BINGO and often would piss off everyone as she frequently won every game, she loved to dance, tell jokes and was very vocal about disliking the food they served at the skilled facility.  Ada’s personality had everyone wrapped around her fingers, all the caregivers would bring her food and would take her to their lunch breaks with them. I would do her “special groceries” which included beer and all her native candies and goods Puerto Rico.  She drank beer with every dinner, and often would ban people from her room because according to her they will steal her goods. Ada, was very set in her ways, and at her young age of 93, this woman that her entire life had so much class and finesse, almost got arrested when she punched a resident after the other party had attempted to kiss her.  In her last statement, “Mira coño, que me metan presa, me voy con gusto y paso mis ultimos dias presa, pero ninguna mujer me viene a tocar ni a besar, coño!” (Shit, I would gladly serve my last days in prison, but NO woman is going to ever touch me or kiss me). She was a no non-sense dementia patient. When I received the call about the incident, I quickly went to the facility spoke with administration and of course with my dearest grandmother, who deniably said the facility was raising false statements against her, as she would never do something like that. Oh, dear Abuela, I know you are watching from the best seat in the house, but I know you all too well to know, YOU DID IT!

Ada was perfect, caring, loving, gifted, devoted, affectionate, passionate, selfless, compassionate, loyal, honest and NEVER did she have a day in her life without smiling and laughing (she was always concerned that if she frowned, she would get wrinkles).

My grandmother sure did an AMAZING job at passing some of her most valuable traits to me.

Her dream was to live pass 100’s, so that she can see who would die before her. She survived most people in her family, most I didn’t even know existed, as she always said, I have outlived some of the best crock’s in presidency, and the day I told her Queen Elizabeth had die and she had outlive her too, she responded: “Pues, que la entierren, esa vieja era mala” (Oh well, then burry her, that woman was bad), I think everyone who knew her would agree that her sense of humor was like no other.

She leaves behind her most precious gift ME, Nayra L. Martinez, of Griswold, CT, my husband, my 4 children that were the light of her eyes and her favorite dog Vader “The Great Dane” that often visited her and all her friends.

She is survived by her daughter Yolanda Ruiz, of Hartford, CT, whom she often would tell her “Yolanda, te estas poniendo vieja” ( Yolanda, you are getting so old) or she would greet her with “Que te paso en el pelo, parece un gallo” (What happened to your hair, you look like a rooster).

My mother would get mad at her for her sense of humor, but little does she know, I already know, I have my work caught out with my mother, as I know she learned from the best. Although, she has passed on to the new place she will call home, she leaves behind an outstanding legacy.  She will never be forgotten, and that is truly an understatement.

Your departure has left the deepest void in our souls, and there will be nothing that can replace it. I do promise to live my life through yours and all the valuable lessons you taught me along the way.

May you rest in Eternal Peace, mi viejieta tan bella!

06/29/1929 -03/19/2023

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated in St. Patrick Cathedral, 213 Broadway, Norwich, CT on Tuesday April 11, 2023 at 10am. Condolences may be expressed at www.colonialfunerals.com.