Carmen Barroso

Carmen Pelaez Melego de Barroso {aka Carmen Barroso) was born on November 18, 1935 in Madrid, Spain. Her parents Angel Pelaez and Josefa Melego already had three little boys: Angel, Jose, and Fernando. However, her father wanted a little girl more than anything. Despite the tumultuous political climate, he finally had his little girl Carmen (named after the person that Introduced him to his wife). Shortly after Carmen was born, the Spanish Civil War broke out and her father had to go to war, since he was a war plane mechanic. Notably, her father had been one of the builders of the first plane to fly from Spain to the Americas. Her mother Josefa took Carmen In her arms and fled to the sewers with her little boys to hide from the bombing, until they were able to hop on a freight train into the countryside and wait out the war.

 When the war ended, Carmen returned with her family to Madrid, but sadly they lost their home in the war. She attended an all girls Catholic School in Madrid and sang with the church choir. Her beautiful voice was the envy of many and she was often asked to sing during family gatherings since it brought so much joy to all who surrounded her.

 When she was 14, Carmen enrolled and trained as a seamstress for Cristobal Balenciaga. She made dresses for members of the Spanish Royal family, Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper's wife, President Eisenhower's wife as well as many other notable persons. Mr. Balenciaga gave her personalized instruction on many occasions, and she was given the opportunity to work with Givenchy who at the time was a student of Balenciaga.

 Carmen lived a full and exciting life as a single woman working in high fashion in Madrid and spending her Summers in Alicante and Cuenca (the village where her mother Josefa was born). She was a devoted daughter to her mother who she cared for when her father passed and cherished her brothers and all of her nieces and nephews. 

On September 26, 1971, Carmen went dancing with her friends as she did every weekend. However, this time she went dancing on a Sunday night, because she received free tickets to a new club called Casa Blanca. As she waited in line to go in wearing an all white, sleeveless pantsuit with her perfectly styled long blond hair, she was noticed by a young Cuban man who went on to describe her as the "most beautiful woman he ever saw." When in the club, he took his chance and asked her to dance. They danced and talked late into the night. Her mother was not happy she missed her curfew. Carmen said she never met a more interesting person. She couldn't stop thinking about him, and years later admitted he was the only man she ever called. As you know, "a woman should never call a man." That night Carmen had met her person and the only man she ever loved, Dagoberto Barroso. They were married on July 26, 1972 in Madrid, and the next day they flew to Barcelona to start their new life together.

 On June16, 1973, they welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Juan Carlos.  Two years later they welcomed a daughter who her husband, insisted on naming her Carmen after the love of his life.

 On June 4, 1978, Carmen left Spain and moved to Miami, Florida with her husband and children, and started a new life in the United States. In Miami, she worked caring for other children, so that she could stay home and raise her own children, while contributing financially. Carmen loved helping families raise their children. She loved everyone of the kids she cared for like her own.

 Carmen lived her entire life caring for others. She cared for her parents, her husband, her children, and eventually, her grandchildren. She was a loving, doting grandmother, and was devoted to her family. Carmen was always the first to offer a helping hand, in anything that was needed, to family, friends, neighbors, and even acquaintances. She never considered any job beneath her, but made sure she was the best dressed while doing it. Carmen will be remembered by many as the best dressed person in the room and firmly believed you are never too old to look good.

 Carmen was married to her beloved husband for 49 years, until his passing on November 9, 2021. She is survived, remembered and loved by her son, Juan Carlos, her daughter Carmen, her grandsons Brandon, Lucas and Oliver, and 12 nieces and nephews.