Manuel "Manolin" Bermudez Morales died quietly at his home on Friday, Sept. 24. He was 97 years old.
He is survived by his wife, Regina; children Aracelis, Anibal Sr., Jorge, Manuelita and Manuel Bermudez and Norma I. Dyer; adopted daughters Elba Bermudez-Evelyn and Lynell LaBega; sisters Miguelina Gomez and Genoveva Bravo; sons-in-law Elmer O. Walcott, Howard Dyer and Peter Evelyn; daughters-in-law Helen Bravo Bermudez and Rita Brady; 17 nieces and nephews; 36 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; two great-great-great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends too numerous to mention.
Bermudez was a committed community activist and the brother of former Sen. Aureo Diaz (deceased), who served in the V.I. Legislature from 1965-70.
Lt. Gov. Vargrave Richards honored the lifetime accomplishments of Bermudez in a press release issued from his office on Wednesday. Calling Bermudez a "community icon," Richards paid tribute to Bermudez' "business acumen" and "generosity to various social causes." Bermudez was the recipient of the Hispanos Unidos Lifetime Achievement award and a member of the Small Business Administration agency.
Richards said "Manuel 'Manolin' Bermudez Morales gave generously of his time, energy and money. He was committed, dedicated and compassionate toward family, friends and strangers alike."
Viewing will be on Friday, Oct. 1, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the James Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral service will be on Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Sacred Heart Chapel at LBJ Gardens. Viewing begins at 10 a.m., services starts at 11 a.m. Internment will be at the Christiansted Cemetery.