Julio Acosta

“When we lose someone we love, we must learn not to live without them, but to live with the love they left behind.” I don’t know who wrote this, but I couldn’t agree more. On the evening of Monday, May 11, 2020, Julio Acosta, 94, of Bergenfield, New Jersey passed away leaving behind his legacy of love after a simple, yet simply beautiful life.

His life began on April 12, 1926 in Havana, Cuba and later took him on a journey to the United States when he and his family immigrated in 1969. Julio was a hero; a great and selfless man. Although he suffered through many obstacles, you’d never know in speaking with him that life was anything but perfect. He truly saw the good in everyone and the silver lining in every situation. The only thing he was known to dislike was the beach. Yet, in his true spirit, he vacationed there every summer for many years for the enjoyment of his wife, children and grandchildren. Julio enjoyed helping. He lived a life of service to those he loved. He also enjoyed cooking, couponing, supermarket hopping, mathematics and most of all gathering with his family over a fresh pot of espresso; lovingly known as café. I can still picture him sitting at the kitchen table in his undershirt carving a large jamón with a cerveza beside it. He was Papá. He made friends everywhere he went. He would speak to everyone, yet he was a great listener (there aren’t many of those). He taught by example and led with his heart.

His memories will be held dear by his wife of 64 years, Mirta, their daughter Cristina Alvarez, son Julio T. Acosta, and son-in-law Luis Alvarez. His grandchildren, Arianna Bastidas and her husband Mark along with their daughters Charlotte & Olivia, Victoria Mazon and her husband Daniel along with their son Xavier, Alexandra Alvarez, Melissa Acosta and Eric Acosta will all do their best to lovingly carry on his beautiful story.

Julio will be laid to rest at Garden of Memories Mausoleum in Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey on May 13, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or The American Heart Association.

 https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/

https://www2.heart.org/site/SPageNavigator/donatenow_heart.html?s_src=20U2W1UEMG&s_subsrc=top_nav_button