Idalia Iraola was 15 when she left Arroyo, Puerto Rico, and made a home for herself in Chelsea. Once settled, she brought her mother and her grandmother to live with her. She died Saturday, October 10, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She was 76.
Born December 10, 1949, she was the daughter of Bienvenida Ramos Alcea and the late Octavio Iraola. In Chelsea she raised her children while working to support a household that spanned several generations, and her family wrote that her door and her kitchen were open to anyone who needed a meal or a place to stay. Her cooking is what many people who knew her remember first.
She leaves her children Raphael Amaro, Joseph Amaro, Dalis DeJesus, Adriana Ayala, Maria Gomez, Adeline Negron, Gloribee Cabrera, Gloribel Cabrera and Jalissa Murray, along with many grandchildren, extended family and friends.
Calling hours and funeral services are Tuesday, October 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea.
Compiled from information published by Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea, (617) 889-2723. Photograph courtesy of the family via Welsh Funeral Home. This is our own summary, not the family’s obituary; read the full obituary and leave a condolence at the funeral home’s page. Corrections: we will fix any error promptly.