Olga Lopez Villodas, 95, of Danbury, Passed Away Peacefully

DANBURY, CT — Olga Lopez Villodas, 95, died peacefully on July 10, 2016. She was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico on September 14, 1920; the daughter of Salvita Cintron of Caguas, Puerto Rico, and Manuel Lopez of Cayey, Puerto Rico. Her family moved to New York City in the early 1920's.

After graduating from Julia Richmond High School in Manhattan with honors, she attended Hunter College. She discontinued her studies as a result of World War II, but received her degree in secondary education in 1975 from Western Connecticut State University, realizing one of her dreams in 1976 by continuing her studies in Art and French at the University of Dijon. During the war she worked as a secretary at American Paper and Type in lower Manhattan meeting her future husband through his sister, her co-worker. In 1946 she married her wartime sweetheart, Jack Villodas. After starting their family in 1950, she left the workforce to raise her two sons. She returned to work outside the home in 1968 at Hofstra University in the language department.

She taught Spanish at North Salem High School, and Spanish and French as a substitute in many Danbury area schools. In 1982 she joined the family manufacturing business, ICDI, as office administrator, retiring in 2003. Her interests were artistic in nature, whether painting, ceramics, print making, fabric art or gardening. And an art form that she named "Fleurage," which used dried flowers mounted on either two-dimensional surfaces or in shadow boxes.

She was generous with her time, whether it was with Literacy Volunteers, English as a Second Language tutoring, Garden Club of Danbury, or as a long time member of the Danbury Hospital Ball committee.

She is survived by her two sons, Steve and his wife Diane of Brookfield and Rick of Danbury; three grandchildren, Mathew of Brookfield, Melissa of Asheville, NC, and Erica and her husband Gabriel Cifuentes of Boston, MA; her sister Ida Villodas of Danbury, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Jack Villodas.

Friends may call at Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury on Wednesday, July 13, 2016 from 4-8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Joseph Church, Danbury on Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 10 am. Interment will follow at St Peter Cemetery following the funeral mass.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Olga's memory may be made to Literacy Volunteers of America, Danbury Chapter, 248 Main St., Danbury, CT 06810.