Obituary for Ada Mirach Bowles
Ada Irma Mirach Bowles December 2, 1944 — March 4, 2019
Ada was born on December 2, 1944 in Cayey, Puerto Rico as the first-born child of eight children by Ada and Heriberto Mirach. She grew up in a neighborhood in Cayey known as “El Polvorín” and attended the Luis Muñoz Rivera School and the Benjamin Harrison High School. Throughout her early education, Ada demonstrated superior intelligence and an active participation in school activities. Ada’s intelligence and hard work in school resulted in her graduating from High School at the early age of 15 in 1959. Ada finished two years of College at the University of Puerto Rico until she decided to relocate to New York City to join her parents Ada and Heriberto Mirach and her five brothers and sisters, Angie, Edgar, Harry, Clarence, and Nancy. Until that time, she had been raised by her paternal grandparents Evarista Rodriguez and Clemente Mirach. Ada spent many of her childhood years with her aunt, Guillermina (Lydia) Cartagena and uncle, Desiderio (Yiyín) Cartagena with their five children, Sheila, Damaris, Axel, Abdiel, and Alexis.
While living in New York, Ada participated in a night school program at Hunter College to enhance her working skills.
It was at this program that she met her future husband, Arthur Bowles. With her natural intelligence and the skills that she learned in the night school program, Ada was able to find work in various positions related to the Fashion industry. She developed an eye for fine clothing and a distinct style of fashion. Ada joined the Sears Company in the late sixties and worked up the corporate ladder to become an Assistant Buyer for Sears. She chose to move to Chicago when the Sears Company closed their New York Offices in 1979 and worked in the headquarters of the Sears Company until she left her job in 1993.
Ada was married to Arthur E. Bowles III in 1967. During their time together, Arthur and Ada had a son, Mark Edward Bowles in December of 1969. They worked hard together to successfully become one of the first tenants in the 1199 Plaza, a Cooperative in East Harlem. They also were successful in raising their son Mark through bi-lingual education programs available in East Harlem. Ada struggled with her decision to move to Chicago to remain with the Sears Company and around that time she and Arthur separated.
For another time, Ada had to leave her family and friends to move into a new city, Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. In addition to working hard in Chicago and caring for her beloved son, Mark, Ada enjoyed participating in various political movements such as the Women’s Rights movement, the Civil Rights movement, and supporting various political movements in Chicago. She also maintained her connection with New York City based on her strong friendship with her mother-in-law, Cecilia Bowles.
After leaving Sears and the City of Oak Park in 1993, Ada began the pursuit of her life-long dream, to graduate from the University of Puerto Rico. She returned to Puerto Rico in 1994, over thirty years after she had left to resume her studies at the University of Puerto Rico. She worked hard under difficult circumstances to graduate with a B.A. in Education and received a Magna Cum Laude medal. In addition to her success at school, she also re-kindled personal and family relationships with her aunt Lydia and her cousins, especially Sheila Cartagena Cruz and her children Maria, Omar, and José. She also made many new friends and was well-respected by many students that she tutored.
Ada returned to New York City and, after the passing of Arthur Bowles, spent the next ten years as the primary caregiver to her beloved mother-in-law Cecilia Bowles. Ada and Cecilia participated in the local Senior Citizen Program and were active in many of the activities offered to seniors in the local community in Upper Manhattan. Ada not only cared for Cecilia but also helped many of the Seniors in the Program until Cecilia died in February 2016. Ada seriously considered returning to Puerto Rico, but her plans changed after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Ada moved in with her son Mark and his wife Tania in 2018, so Mark and his wife could care for her.
Ada was predeceased by her husband, Arthur Bowles, her mother-in-law Cecilia Bowles, her parents Ada and Heriberto Mirach, her cousin Abdiel and her aunt, Lydia Cartagena, and her brothers Georgie and Clarence Mirach. She is survived by her beloved son, Mark, his wife Tania and children, her sisters Angie and Nancy, her brothers Heriberto, Edgar, and Harry, her sisters-in-law Gloria Vega Mirach, Denise Whiting-Mirach, and her cousins, nieces, nephews who all admired and respected their “Titi” Ada. She also leaves behind numerous friends from Puerto Rico, El Barrio, and Chicago.
A private cremation was held at Woodlawn Crematory. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Monica’s Church, 413 E. 79th St., New York, NY. Family and friends are welcomed
Ada was born on December 2, 1944 in Cayey, Puerto Rico as the first-born child of eight children by Ada and Heriberto Mirach. She grew up in a neighborhood in Cayey known as “El Polvorín” and attended the Luis Muñoz Rivera School and the Benjamin Harrison High School. Throughout her early education, Ada demonstrated superior intelligence and an active participation in school activities. Ada’s intelligence and hard work in school resulted in her graduating from High School at the early age of 15 in 1959. Ada finished two years of College at the University of Puerto Rico until she decided to relocate to New York City to join her parents Ada and Heriberto Mirach and her five brothers and sisters, Angie, Edgar, Harry, Clarence, and Nancy. Until that time, she had been raised by her paternal grandparents Evarista Rodriguez and Clemente Mirach. Ada spent many of her childhood years with her aunt, Guillermina (Lydia) Cartagena and uncle, Desiderio (Yiyín) Cartagena with their five children, Sheila, Damaris, Axel, Abdiel, and Alexis.
While living in New York, Ada participated in a night school program at Hunter College to enhance her working skills.
It was at this program that she met her future husband, Arthur Bowles. With her natural intelligence and the skills that she learned in the night school program, Ada was able to find work in various positions related to the Fashion industry. She developed an eye for fine clothing and a distinct style of fashion. Ada joined the Sears Company in the late sixties and worked up the corporate ladder to become an Assistant Buyer for Sears. She chose to move to Chicago when the Sears Company closed their New York Offices in 1979 and worked in the headquarters of the Sears Company until she left her job in 1993.
Ada was married to Arthur E. Bowles III in 1967. During their time together, Arthur and Ada had a son, Mark Edward Bowles in December of 1969. They worked hard together to successfully become one of the first tenants in the 1199 Plaza, a Cooperative in East Harlem. They also were successful in raising their son Mark through bi-lingual education programs available in East Harlem. Ada struggled with her decision to move to Chicago to remain with the Sears Company and around that time she and Arthur separated.
For another time, Ada had to leave her family and friends to move into a new city, Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. In addition to working hard in Chicago and caring for her beloved son, Mark, Ada enjoyed participating in various political movements such as the Women’s Rights movement, the Civil Rights movement, and supporting various political movements in Chicago. She also maintained her connection with New York City based on her strong friendship with her mother-in-law, Cecilia Bowles.
After leaving Sears and the City of Oak Park in 1993, Ada began the pursuit of her life-long dream, to graduate from the University of Puerto Rico. She returned to Puerto Rico in 1994, over thirty years after she had left to resume her studies at the University of Puerto Rico. She worked hard under difficult circumstances to graduate with a B.A. in Education and received a Magna Cum Laude medal. In addition to her success at school, she also re-kindled personal and family relationships with her aunt Lydia and her cousins, especially Sheila Cartagena Cruz and her children Maria, Omar, and José. She also made many new friends and was well-respected by many students that she tutored.
Ada returned to New York City and, after the passing of Arthur Bowles, spent the next ten years as the primary caregiver to her beloved mother-in-law Cecilia Bowles. Ada and Cecilia participated in the local Senior Citizen Program and were active in many of the activities offered to seniors in the local community in Upper Manhattan. Ada not only cared for Cecilia but also helped many of the Seniors in the Program until Cecilia died in February 2016. Ada seriously considered returning to Puerto Rico, but her plans changed after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Ada moved in with her son Mark and his wife Tania in 2018, so Mark and his wife could care for her.
Ada was predeceased by her husband, Arthur Bowles, her mother-in-law Cecilia Bowles, her parents Ada and Heriberto Mirach, her cousin Abdiel and her aunt, Lydia Cartagena, and her brothers Georgie and Clarence Mirach. She is survived by her beloved son, Mark, his wife Tania and children, her sisters Angie and Nancy, her brothers Heriberto, Edgar, and Harry, her sisters-in-law Gloria Vega Mirach, Denise Whiting-Mirach, and her cousins, nieces, nephews who all admired and respected their “Titi” Ada. She also leaves behind numerous friends from Puerto Rico, El Barrio, and Chicago.
A private cremation was held at Woodlawn Crematory. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Monica’s Church, 413 E. 79th St., New York, NY. Family and friends are welcomed