This obit was originally published on the Washington Memorial Funeral Home website on Tuesday.
Celestino Cordova deceased on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 as a Korean War Veteran of the United States Army. Celestino Cordova, the honorable highly regarded role model for all of the State of Connecticut, the City of New Haven and surrounding cities. Celestino is very well known for his leadership in pioneering the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Coalition for the State of Connecticut. Celestino was a humble yet assertive individual who was part of cultural people, Puerto Ricans who needed services with the language, education, employment, and housing, as well as leadership in constructing, organizing, coordinating, and facilitating various facts of community life.
The beginnings of Celestino’s early experiences of being a leader after graduating from high school was when he received the letter to serve in the United States Army. Celestino was born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, graduated from High School in Arroyo, Puerto Rico and raised in Patillas, Puerto Rico. As soon as Celestino completed basic training, he was sent to the front lines in the Korean War. Celestino was placed in the role as a “Ranger.”
Celestino’s leadership was to follow the U.S. Army mission, to recognize where the enemy was, identify mines, tanks, and safe routes for infantry to mobilize. There after witnessing the stresses and loss of young service men on the battlefield defense, these service men are now recognized as Heroes. Celestino reenlisted and completed seven years and nine months in total. Celestino learned that rifles, helicopters, ships and submarines, and even aircraft engines used during the war were made in Connecticut, in cities such as New Haven, North Haven, Stratford, Niantic, New London, and companies like Sikorsky Aircraft and Pratt & Whitney. Celestino noted the opportunities available for employment within these cities and towns.
Celestino was discharged honorably with the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Sharpshooter (rifle) Medal. Celestino was a respected Borinqueneer of the 65th Infantry Regiment as a ranked Staff Sargent.
In 1958, Celestino was licensed from the Army in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and left for the city of New Haven, CT.
During Celestino’s service time with the Army, he traveled to Trinidad, Panama, Cuba, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, New Mexico, Oakland, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans and Oklahoma, Kansas where he resided for some time, then left to establish residence with his family in New Haven, CT.
Celestino started a business as a licensed seller C.C. Enterprises, traveled to New York and bought merchandise to sell from home. Celestino then began to collaborate with Hispanic residents in Connecticut forming a group which he called “Club Borinquen”, yet didn’t stand up to his goals of constructing a positive, safe, and empowering gathering. At this time, he coordinated with his family members to brainstorm ideas of forming and organizing a civic organization. This is when the Latin Council emerged. This initiative was created with the aim of representing the Hispanic community at the time Richard C. Lee was in power as mayor of New Haven. It was rigorous work as there was a lot of prejudice for Hispanic residents at the time. Despite hurdles and bounds, Celestino and his Family Council managed to get the Lee Administration to provide them with a center and office with a director and a secretary. Celestino voluntarily served in an office located at the center, serving as a neighborhood representative/worker without pay initially to get the organization off to a prosperous start. Celestino had many ideas to be implemented at the center, yet to soon be allowed. After a year and a half, the mayor appointed the Director of the Latin Council to a position in the city, and although residents thought Celestino could take responsibility as Director, he was not allowed that opportunity. Celestino made a bold move to resign from his volunteer position and create the Spanish Cultural Association on Congress Avenue in 1965.
Celestino was proud and eager to succeed in developing an educational and cultural project with a grant of war against poverty. A year later, Celestino submitted a proposal to establish a program of College Bound, sponsored by the Model City Grant with federal funds. Most all Hispanic students participated in the services offered by the center, such as tutoring of the different subjects after school and even on weekends. High school students were assisted with college tuition and offered reviews for college entrance exams (SAT’s). In 1968, the first twenty five high school students who were influenced by this project continued university studies. For this accomplishment Celestino decided to establish a program to pay for a stipend to more than twenty youth who were 14 years of age or older, so that they would be motivated to continue working in the afternoons, after school.
Previously in 1963 at the Spanish Cultural Association, Celestino brought to the attention of several Hispanic Connecticut leaders, that a proposal be instituted to have a Puerto Rican Parade in Connecticut. Celestino personally visited local communities in various cities of Danbury, New London, Guilford and Hartford to gain support in this mission. Celestino urged Hartford’s leaders to establish the center committee for the Connecticut State Puerto Rican Parade. The first parade was held in 1965 in the city of Hartford; in 1966 it was held in the city of Bridgeport; in 1967 it was held in the city of Meriden; in 1968 it was held in the city of New Haven. Celestino managed to bring the parade three times to the city of New Haven, before retiring in 1990, and the legacy lives on today, handing over the baton to Puerto Ricans United, Inc.
In the city of New Haven, Celestino stood strong with pride to provide additional leadership roles and services of being the first Puerto Rican Justice of the Peace, Notary Republic, and one of the first Honorary Sheriffs in the State of Connecticut. Not lastly, yet distinctly, Celestino was the first Puerto Rican to run and receive the political position on the Board of Selectmen in the City of New Haven.
These are just some of the leadership roles Celestino held true to. On April 13, 2016 Celestino received the Honorary Congressional Gold Medal at the White House by former President Barack Obama, to the 65th Infantry Regiment, a segregated military unit mainly of Puerto Ricans, established as the “Borinqueneers”. The motto of the Borinqueneers is “Honor Et Fidelitas”.
Additionally, Celestino was a Bilingual Coordinator of South Central Connecticut Agency on Aging, Co-Chair for the 16th Ward in the Fair Haven section of New Haven, a member of the state wide Democratic Hispanic Caucus, the coordinator of the tree planting in the Saltonstall Avennue area of New Haven with the Urban Resources Initiative, an active member of the city’s Peace Commission, member of the Knights of Columbus, and the producer/editor in-chief of “Horizontes” which he personally delivered throughout all of New Haven to local businesses and store fronts. Celestino kept busy, with a positive attitude and a man of immense faith within his Catholic religion. May Celestino rest in peace knowing he paved the way for many families and children.
Celsetino Cordova is survived by three sons, Wady E. Cordova of New Haven, Roy Cordova of New York City and Lawrence (Christine) Cordova of Northford; two daughters, Sandra C. Cordova-Reynolds (Sean) of Wallingford and Cynthia E. Cordova-Middleton of Glastonbury; six grandchildren, Alexis Nieto Cordova, Waleska (Orlando) Reyes, Veronica Cordova, Chelsea M. (William) Walsh, Evan Cordova and Earl B. Middleton, III; four great-grandchildren, Luís Rodríguez, and Cole, Emmitt and Troy Walsh. He was predeceased by his son Celestino Cordova Nieves, Jr., and his former wife Leonides Nieves Cordova, mother of all six children.
Celestino’s family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, September 5th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Washington Memorial Funeral Home, 4 Washington Ave., North Haven. Celestino’s funeral cortege will depart the funeral home on Friday, September 6th at 9:15 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. in St. Anthony Church (Blessed Fr. McGivney Parish), 70 Washington Ave., New Haven. Entombment with Military Honors will follow in All Saints Cemetery Mausoleum, North Haven. Following the committal service, a repass provided by Puerto Ricans United, Inc. will take place at Brazi’s Italian Restaurant, 201 Food Terminal Plaza, New Haven. In lieu of flowers, you may make contributions in Celestino’s name to VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Fischer House, ATTN: Amanda Salthouse, 950 Campbell Ave., West Haven, CT 06516. www.washingtonmemorialfh.com