Egas, Yolanda M.
Egas, Yolanda M., age 89 of Mt. Arlington, NJ passed away Monday December 12, 2022 at her home peacefully and surrounded by her loving family. Born 24 March 1933 in Guayaquil, Ecuador to Jose Maria Egas and Maria Magdalene Montalvo Egas. Her father was a tailor by trade. Yolanda grew up in Guayaquil, 1 of 9 children. Even though she did not complete high school, she had a strong sense of education and hard work, which she would instill in her children.
Yolanda (Yoli) came to the US in 1960 and settled in Jersey City. She worked in New York City hand painting doll faces, and hand sewing appliques on Judith Leiber bespoke hand bags. She worked on the evening bag Nancy Reagan wore to one of the inauguration balls for her husband President Ronald Reagan.
After her retirement, she enjoyed being with her family, and tending to her many plants. She moved to Bayonne in 1998 and lived there until 2015 when she became a resident of Amber Court AL in Elizabeth NJ. She moved to Excel Care in Dover in July 2022.
Yolanda liked to cook typical Ecuadorian food, watch Spanish soap operas (telenovelas), and shop a good deal especially at garage sales. Her favorite saying was “bueno, bonito y barato (Good, pretty and cheap!). She was always well dressed and wanted everyone else to as she believed in “how someone sees you, is how they treat you.” (Como te ven es Como te tratan)
Yolanda was predeceased by her parents, her sisters, Josefina Montalvo Egas, Ester Montalvo Egas, Mercedes Buendia Egas, her brother Manuel Egas and her son Pedro Altimirano Egas. Survivors include her sisters Matilde Rizzo Egas, Elsa Egas, Carmen Tapia Egas and a brother Miguel Egas, her four remaining children: Jose de la Rosa and his wife Laura Taylor, Marjorie de la Rosa and husband Mark Anderson, John de la Rosa and wife Angela Chidlow de la Rosa, and daughter Grace de la Rosa.
Also surviving are her grandchildren Jonathan de la Rosa and Catherine de la Rosa and her husband Robert Berger, Jose’s children. Victoria, Christopher and Sarah de la Rosa, John’s children. Michael and Alexandra Metzler, Grace’s children as well as her 2 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held Wednesday December 14, 2022 from 4 to 6 PM in the Smith-Taylor-Ruggiero Funeral Home One Baker Ave. (Rt. 46) Dover, NJ. A Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday December 15, 2022 at 10 AM in the Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Church #425 Blackwell Street (Rt. 46) Dover, NJ 07801. Private cremation services will follow. Online condolences through www.smith-taylor-ruggierofuneralhome.com.
Smith – Taylor – Ruggiero Funeral Home
