Gladis Beatriz Linero-Maza

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-grandmother, Sister, Aunt, Best Friend, & Warrior Gladis Beatriz Linero-Maza has made her way into God's Light. She entered into God's Glory on November 18, 2019 due to natural causes, at the age of 88 years old in Fayetteville, NC where she lived for the past 11 years & 9 months with her daughter & main caregiver Elsa M. Ellis, granddaughter & caregiver Maria Elisa Rodriguez, & son-in-law James W. Ellis. She is survived by seven children; Paulino, Maunel, Rosario, Rogelio, Victor, Elsa, & Carlos. She leaves her legacy behind with 27 grandchildren & 47 great-grandchildren (and still counting), along with 3 great-great-grandchildren on the way soon. She also leaves behind 7 Super Babies; 5 chihuahuas: Princess, Bambina, Bonita, Cosita, Zsa Zsa, & two cats: Miso & Mooji. 

Born on March 13, 1931 in the small town of Santa Marta on the coast of Colombia, she was the last born out of 12 children & last living child of Victor Manuel Linero & Rosario Judith Maza. Although they passed almost 50 years ago themselves of natural causes, being the baby of the family, not a day went by that she didn't think of & mention her parents. She was especially close to her mother, whom she moved to Colon, Panama from Colombia with when she was just 16 years old. There she started her family at the age of 18 & worked hard as a homemaker to raise her children & make sure that they never went a day without the essentials, strong values & morals, & especially tender love & care. Although they never legally married & didn't have children together, she shared 33 long, beautiful years together with Pablo "Angel" Johnson-Serrano, who helped raise her last 4 children; Rogelio, Victor, Elsa, & Carlos as though they were his very own. He passed onto Glory from lung cancer on August 10, 2012, but his legacy lives on through the family to this very day. Our beloved Gladis was not only an exemplary mother & grandmother, helping raise 6 granddaughters hands-on, she will be remembered as a woman who was always willing to not only be a shoulder to lean on to her longtime neighbors, & friends, but she would always be the first to lend a hand to whoever was in need. She never denied anyone a warm hug & a meal, clean clothes &/or shower, even if they were strangers. She always believed in the good in people & shared that humanity & love with others.

She moved to the United States of America on February 4, 2008 to retire & live full-time with her daughter Elsa M. Ellis. The past 11 years & 9 months have been filled with many, many health battles. But our beloved Gladis never lost her beautiful & endearing smile & tender nature through it all. She went everywhere with Elsa, who took on the work of her 6 siblings & never left her mother's side for more than a day & tended to her every need throughout her years here in North Carolina. They would go to doctor's appointments quite regularly, but always followed them up with shopping, manis/pedis, delicious meals, her favorite coconut ice cream, & trips to Jacksonville Beach in Florida for vacation, & so many more adventures & precious times together that will be treasured always & forever.

There's so much more to be said about our beloved Gladis & the loving & loved by everyone woman she was & will continue to be remembered as Mama, Abuela, Bisabuela, & Best Friend to so many far & wide. Her departure has left us all brokenhearted, but we feel blessed & proud to have been able to have her in & share our lives with her. We remain with all the goodwill she spread, all the lessons she shared, with her strong will to live, her light, her sheer strength, the amazing love she had for her family, her super babies, her friends & above all else for life & all of God's blessings.

Gracias Mama! Gracias Abuela! Por ser ese agente de cambio que vino a tocarnos los corazones a tantas personas, que tuvimos la dicha de haberla conocido y amado tan tiernamente. Algún día nos hemos de reencontrar de nuevo bella madre, abuela, bisabuela, tia, hermana, amiga nuestra. Y podremos compartir y gozar en La Gloria de Dios juntos, esa es nuestra esperanza.

A todos que compartieron con nuestra hermosa y preciosa Gladis Beatriz Linero-Maza, el fruto de su trabajo y abundancia, queremos darles a nombre de El Señor y de nuestra familia gigante, infinitas gracias.

TE AMAREMOS POR SIEMPRE MAMA G! WE LOVE YOU!

A Funeral Mass will be held, 10:00 AM Saturday, November 30, 2019 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2844 Village Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28304 with Father Marlon Mendieta officiating.

Burial will be at a later date in Panama.

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