Carmen Ocasio 83 Vineland Grocery Store Owner-Operator Carmen Ocasio, 83, of Vineland passed away at 11:56 PM on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at her home surrounded by her five loving children. Carmen, born in Caunilla, a suburb of Utuado, Puerto Rico, arrived in Vineland with her husband Elviro in June 1952. She was employed at various factories in Vineland, such as Quality Clothing, Manichewitz Foods and Aaron Fashion. The couple became owners and operated the grocery store Ocasio Market for 11 years. She later retired and became a homemaker until her passing. As one of the pioneers of the Vineland Latino community, Carmen achieved many civic and cultural goals by participating in various organizations. She was one of the founding members of Accion Social Puertorriqueno, and held memberships in El Festival Puertorriqueno, Mujeres Latinas en Accion, Club Borinquen, Centro Comunal (Casa PRAC), and Spanish American Relief Fund. Carmen was recognized for her dedication to the community and her support of Puerto Rican cultural values as Madre Ejemplar (Mother of the Year) and as El Festival Puertorriqueno's Parade Grand Marshall, along with her husband, in 2001. She was also honored as Personaje del Mes by El Veterano Spanish Newspaper. As a devout Catholic, Carmen was a member of Centro Catolico (Spanish Catholic Center/Devine Mercy Church) in which she participated as a Cursillista del Sagrado Corazon, and Legion de Maria. Carmen is predeceased by her loving husband of 53 years Elviro, and survived by her sons Elviro, Jr., Nelson and wife Susan all of Vineland; her daughters Alisia and husband Jesus of Egg Harbor Township, Nancy and husband Eli, and Katy, all of Vineland; her grandchildren, Ivan, Jr., Alexander, Isaiah, Nelson II, Marisol, BeTina and her husband Joey, Eliza, and Alanna; great-grandchildren Ciana and JaeLynn, and her sister Anna Celia of Puerto Rico. Predeceased by her brothers Juanito, Miguel, Fulgencio, Arturo and Avelino; sisters: Teresa, Urbana, Maria Modesta, Rosario, Celia, Efigenia and Maria Confesora. A funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 11:00 AM at the Devine Mercy Church, 23 W. Chestnut Avenue, Vineland. Visiting hours will be from 7 to 9 PM on Tuesday, and from 9:30 to 10:30 AM on Wednesday at the Wainwright-Bernhardt Funeral Home at 1024 E. Landis Avenue, Vineland. Interment will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery. Carmen's family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to South Jersey Healthcare HospiceCare P.O. Box 160, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. Please visit www.wbfuneralhome.com to send condolences to the family