Carmen Maria Baez Acevedo, 76, of Worcester died Tuesday, April 20th in Puerto Rico. She leaves two sons, Luis Baez of Leicester and Elias Baez and his wife, Danielle of Worcester; three daughters, Maria Baez-Layne Gardner, Carol Baez of Worcester, and Angela Baez of Worcester; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was born in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico the daughter of Martin Baez and Catalina Acevedo, and moved in 1967 to Worcester. Carmen was known to have an open-door policy in her home. Where family, friends or anyone from the neighborhood could stop in at any time. She invited you in to sit at the kitchen table, have dinner, converse, banter, laugh, ask for advice, and if needed a shoulder to cry on. She was known for her boisterous and contagious laugh. Everyone knew the festivities began when she entered a room. She had a sweet and very generous heart. Carmen was the epitome of a host where everyone’s needs came before her own.
Carmen loved listening to her Spanish albums, dancing, singing, cooking, and having her home filled with the playfulness, laughter, and smiles of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and her friends.
Carmen worked at Neles-Jamesbury Corp. for 30 years. She never wavered to provide for her family. She took extreme pride in her work ethics and passed that along to her children. She loved and treated everyone like family. Though Carmen was small in stature she was a giant in life.
Her funeral is Thursday, May 6th with a service at 11:00 a.m. in O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue. Burial will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. Visitation is Thursday, May 6th from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the service. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02452.