Alicia Colon Lara's Obituary
Alicia was born in Puerto Rico on April 21, 1926 in a hamlet called Monte Bello in the town of Manati. The only way to get to this little and humble hamlet is to travel up this winding and dangerous one-lane road on the side of a steep mountain. She came to the states with her husband Porfirio and 6 month-old baby and only child in 1948. She made her home in Brooklyn, New York where her husband Porfirio became a full-time Pentecostal minister. After many years of pasturing in one church reverend Porfirio left to rescue dying churches that were on the verge of closing. Porfirio and Alicia were able to rescue a total of seven churches in the Brooklyn area and the town of Dorado, Puerto Rico where they later moved to. In the interim Alicia was able to graduate from the Arca Evangelica Bible Institute in Brooklyn in 1958 as a Missionary teacher. She taught and trained many missionaries and future Bible teachers to the institute. Alicia also taught in Sunday school for many years. Outside of the church she managed a household and learned a trade as a sewing machine operator in the garment district of Brooklyn. In their later years Alicia and her husband came to make Tampa, Florida their home for over thirty years. Alicia also taught Sunday school in their new church Iglesia Misionera Asambleas De Dios where her husband was also an associate pastor for a while. Alica was survived by her son Porfirio "Dave" Lara Jr. (Julie) of Vineland, NJ, three grand children, Eric Lara of San Antonio, Texas, Christopher and Desiree Lara of Vineland, NJ and three great-grand children. She was predeceased by her husband Porfirio in 1999.
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