Antolin Colon Rosado

Antolin "Tolin" was born on October 27, 1937 in Penuelas, Puerto Rico to Miguel Rosado and Felicita C. Barrera. As a young man, he decided to leave the island and come to the United States. He lived in multiple cities across the country working as a farm laborer. In 1966 or 1967 he met a young woman by the name of Jovita Galindo. As a 14-year-old boy, Tolin left his home in Puerto Rico with his brothers to create a life in the States. He first worked as a laborer in New York where he enjoyed eating pizza, and later moved to Chicago where he learned to love Italian food and Polish dogs. Later on, he moved to California where he lived and worked in Arvin, Lamont and Bakersfield. In 1966 or 1967, he met the love of his life, Jovita Galindo. Jovita had five children, but that didn't matter to Tolin, he was a natural caregiver. He took the responsibility that most men wouldn't, and he raised Josephine, Carmen, Vera, Robert and Nancy as his own. Antolin had many pastimes. He had a love of baseball, especially watching the New York Yankees. His grandsons would often call him Yogi Berra as they looked similar. During the summer of '98 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire where in the race for the home run record, he would always watch the Cubs games on T.V. When Sammy Sosa came to the plate, he would always call his home run then clap his hands together and tell the kids "I told you!" Tolin loved to dance. Wherever the music was playing you could find him dancing. He and Jovita would frequent La Grande, a local dance hall. Sometimes taking all of the kids. When the kids joined them, he would dance more with the girls than his wife. His great granddaughters have fond memories of him teaching them how to dance to Spanish music. He also enjoyed hobbies around the house like gardening and cooking. He could be out in the yard for hours tending to his plants and lawn. He enjoyed cooking for his family. Especially arroz con gandules and huge breakfasts. Antolin had the biggest heart. He always wanted to be sure that the people in his life were taken care of. Tolin was often making food or sneaking snacks to the kids. His great granddaughters loved sneaking cookies and caf con leche. He would rock them as babies and take them on walks in the buggy as toddlers. He would cheer them on as they would sing and dance with him. He had a smile that could light a room especially when his great granddaughters would visit. Even in his final days when he heard those girls or his favorite songs, he would muster the energy to flash a smile. The measure of a man should not be judged by his wealth, but by his heart. Antolin was all heart! He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather and papa. He will be greatly missed by all. Antolin was preceded in death by his father, Miguel, and his mother, Felicita, his brothers Miguel, Ulises, Ariel and Marciel, his sisters, Miriam and Nereida, and his wife, Jovita. He is survived by his brothers Angel and Martin, his sister Alicia and Zoraida, his children Josephine, Carmen, Vera (Javier), Robert (Teresa) and Nancy, his grandsons, Rudy, Joseph (Nicole), Jaime (Emily) and Mark, and his great granddaughters, Adaliz, Stella and Sadie.