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NEW YORK (AP) — Family, friends and fans gathered Monday morning in New York to pay tribute to Willie Colón, the Grammy-nominated architect of urban salsa music and social activist who died last month at 75.
A public funeral Mass was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in midtown Manhattan, following a weekend of private and public visitations. His burial will be private.
The trombonist, composer, arranger and singer born William Anthony Colón Roman died on Feb. 21. The cause was not publicly announced. His family said he passed away peacefully surrounded by relatives at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Bronxville, New York, just north of New York City. According to the official funeral program, he is survived by his wife of 49 years, Julia Colón Craig, their four sons William David (Rose) Colón, Adam Diego Colón, Alejandro Miguel (Nell) Colón, Patrick Antonio Colón, sister Isabell (Michael Johnson) Breston, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
“While we grieve his absence, we also rejoice in the timeless gift of his music and the cherished memories that will live on forever,” his family said in a statement.
The funeral was livestreamed at https://www.saintpatrickscathedral.org/ and Read Entire Article
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