Asturian-American Migration Forum

Anita Menendez
Pam Kendall Sep 18, 2018

You may read the original article with photo here:
Article in The Exponent Telegram

BRIDGEPORT — The world lost one of its brightest rays of sunshine on Saturday evening, September 15, 2018, as Anita Menendez passed away peacefully to be with our Lord and Savior.

Anita was born on July 28, 1932, in Clarksburg, and lived the majority of her life in Spelter with her parents, Lourdes and Sergio.

She retired from Union National Bank in Clarksburg, having risen to the position of Bank Loan Officer. She was known for the devoted service she provided through her occupation to people in need and for her involvement in a multitude of community service organizations such as the Hispanic Club and Serra Club. Anita took great pride in her Spanish heritage and often spoke, wrote, and was interviewed about growing up as a child of Spanish immigrants from Asturias, Spain, in the Spelter community with several Spanish immigrants. One of her greatest loves was that of family and she was truly an amazing daughter, sister, aunt and great-aunt. She will be sorely missed, but her legacy will live on through her examples of kindness, her sense of humor and her service to mankind.

Anita was the last surviving member of her immediate family, preceded in death by her parents, Lourdes and Sergio; her brother, David Menendez and wife Edith; her sisters Lola Brignone and husband Pete, and Paquita Barron and husband Dominick; and a niece Tina Brignone.

She is survived by nephew, Gary Barron, and his wife Paula of Bridgeport; nephew, David Menendez and his wife Rita of Kansas City, MO; niece, Linda Manna of Omaha, NE; and several great-nieces and nephews and their families.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her memory to New England Center for Children, c/o Jessica Seaver, 33 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772-2108.

Per Anita’s wishes, a private viewing and service will be held at Burnside Funeral Home in Bridgeport prior to interment in Shinnston Memorial Cemetery.

Burnside Funeral Home, Bridgeport.

Pam Kendall

Anita Menendez was a generous and kind Asturian-American.

In the mid-1980s, a faculty friend at West Virginia University told me about a large community of Spaniards that had lived in the Clarksburg area. This person directed me to Anita, who was one of the first Asturian-Americans I met in West Virginia. Anita told me some of the immigrant stories of Spelter and other communities in the Clarksburg area. This began my own journey in understanding my family's participation in that community.

The publication of the book by Gavin Gonzalez, Pinnick Kinnick Hill, was a key development in safe-guarding our collective the memory this immigrant community. The Asturian-American diaspora's interest in this book prompted us to create this forum. (Perhaps Ron or Suronda can tell us if Anita Menendez' family appears in the book.)

A few years after Pinnick Kinnick Hill, we celebrated the documentary by Luis Argeo, AsturianUS. Anita Menendez appears prominently in that film.

In recent years, Anita shared with me photos of people our families knew in common. I remember in particular stories she told about Manuel Martínez, who was known by the unfortunate title of "Fatty The Cigar Man".
https://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4301

Rest in peace, Anita. Yours was a life well-lived!

I remember seeing Anita in Luis Argeo's film. She must have been the kind of person that somehow stands out and is not forgotten. I wish to convey my most sincere condolences to all her family and friends.
Teresa Rondo (Terechu)

I haven't been on here since my Aunt Anita passed away. It is weird knowing that my biggest connection with the family in Spain is now gone. Anita was an amazing woman who I will miss tormenting and being tormented by. She inspired my love of my ancestry and heritage as much as my grandfather/her brother David did. I'm going to visit Asturias at the end of May into June and am going to do the Camino as well. It was something Anita and I had discussed me doing, and I know that her and her siblings will be with me the whole way.

I can imagine Anita tormenting a loved one! Kinda funny.
I hope you have a wonderful journey to Asturias and along the Camino. (I've long wanted to do that, too.) Let us know how it goes. Anita would be proud of you!