Lydia Munoz Vega

With deep love and heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Lydia Migdalia Muñoz Vega, who left this world peacefully in her sleep on the morning of Friday, May 16, 2025, at the Apple Rehabilitation Center in West Haven, Connecticut.

Born on October 9, 1946, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Lydia was the eldest daughter of Juana Maria Vega Arzola and Ramon Luis Muñoz Santiago. Raised in the Peñuelas neighborhood of Santa Isabel, she grew up with a strong sense of responsibility and compassion, especially as the oldest sibling to Carmen Margarita, Lydia Nilsa, Miriam Awilda, Hector Luis, and Ramon Luis, Jr.

At 23, Lydia’s life shifted dramatically when her mother passed away in a tragic accident in 1970. She stepped in without hesitation to help raise her younger siblings, carrying a weight most would have crumbled under, with strength, humor, and an unshakable sense of duty. In 1973, Lydia became a mother to her only child, Jackeline Margarita Cruz Muñoz, who remained the center of her heart for the rest of her life.

After caring for her father until his passing in 1985, Lydia met and married Anselmo Santiago in 1989. Together, they started fresh in New Haven, Connecticut in 1995. Following Anselmo’s passing in 2008, Lydia continued living a life full of love and purpose-supporting Jackeline and helping raise her grandchildren: Nelson Colon, Alexander Colon, Luis Jimenez, Sr., Yanaisis Jimenez, and Dayshellis Figueroa.

And as her grandson, let me say-my grandma was a character in the best way. She was the glue that held us all together. She loved hard, laughed loudly, and if you crossed one of her grandkids, well… good luck. She had no problem setting you straight. One minute she’d be defending us like a lioness, and the next she’d be reminding us who was in charge with a stern look-or a flying slipper.

But she wasn’t just tough-she was joyful. Lydia loved music. Whether it was merengue, bachata, or salsa, you’d find her tapping her foot, moving her hips, or even singing along with a smile that lit up the room. Her voice might not have been made for the stage, but that never stopped her from singing like she was headlining a concert in her living room.

She also had a sharp mind and a love for crossword puzzles, which kept her wit sharp for decades. Whether it was a Sunday crossword or the challenges of raising multiple generations, she met it all with grit, humor, and heart.

Lydia was a devoted member of Saint Rose of Lima Church and walked through life with deep faith, love for her family, and a spirit that couldn’t be dimmed-even when Alzheimer’s and dementia began to take hold in 2020. Though the disease slowly took her memories, it never took away the love she gave or the mark she left on our lives.

She is survived by her daughter, Jackeline Margarita Cruz Muñoz; her grandchildren, Nelson Colon, Alexander Colon, Luis Jimenez, Sr., Yanaisis Jimenez, and Dayshellis Figueroa; and her great-grandchildren, Layla Colon, Malakai Colon, Mathias Colon, Briella Jimenez, and Luis Jimenez, Jr.

Lydia was many things-strong, nurturing, funny, faithful, and fierce. She cooked from the heart, lived for her family, danced when the music played, and gave all of us something to hold onto. Her legacy is not just in the generations that follow her, but in the rhythm, resilience, and love that filled her life.

We will miss her more than words can say, but we take comfort in knowing that somewhere, Lydia is dancing again-free, smiling, and surrounded by the music she loved.