Anselmo Velasco
Anselmo Velasco, 91, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 22, 2022, at his home in TN. He was born in San Juan, Oaxaca, Mexico on April 21, 1930, to the late Carmen and Monica Velasco.
He arrived in the United States in 1949 and migrated to Stamford. He worked many jobs prior to working as a line worker for Raytheon for over 25 years.
In 1955, Anselmo met his love, Anni (Seidel) at the YWCA during social gatherings. They were married for 59 years.
Anselmo, along with his brother Galdino and other Latinos of Stamford, was the founder and president of “Los Charros Social Center” on Atlantic Street in 1965. He later helped establish, repair, and loving paint the alter of the first Hispanic Our Lady of Monserat Church. He was a self-taught organist, and a Catechism instructor for several years. Anselmo was a very religious man and loved to talk about the “Mysteries of Life”. He loved his homeland and never missed a beat to share the many stories of growing up and his life in a small village. He was a humble and quiet man, and lived the Bible’s command to love others.
After retiring, Anselmo moved to MA for 14 years before moving back to CT, and ultimately TN to live with his daughter and son-in-law.
He is survived by his loving children, A. Gary Velasco of VA, Luisa Cabana and her husband David of MA and Monica Steyer and her husband Joseph of TN, as well as his brother, Galdino Velasco of Stamford. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and brothers and sisters in Mexico.
Besides his parents, Anselmo was also predeceased by his wife, Anni Velasco.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, January 31, 2022 at 10:30 AM at St. Maurice RC Church, 358 Glenbrook Road, Stamford. Interment will follow at St. John’s Cemetery, Darien. There will be no calling hours.
The Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to assist the Velasco with the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to http://amazingfacts.org or http://nationalmssociety.org
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com