Jose Hector Colon, 89, of Willimantic, passed away peacefully at home on May 9, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Born on November 7, 1936, in Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico, Jose moved to Willimantic at the age of 18, where he built a life rooted in hard work, friendship, and family. He spent almost 30 years working as a janitor at the University of Connecticut Student Union. To Jose, his coworkers were more than colleagues — they were family.

Jose had a passion for sports and community. In his younger years, he loved playing baseball and was a proud member of a bowling league at Lucky Strike. He also cherished gathering with friends to play dominoes, sharing laughter and stories that created lifelong memories.

Above all, Jose loved his family deeply. He will be remembered for his kindness, dedication, sense of humor, and the love he gave so freely to those around him.

Jose leaves behind his beloved children: April; Niza and her husband, Ricardo; Jamie and her husband, Eric; Melissa; Stacy and her husband, Albert; and Dawn. He also leaves behind his cherished grandchildren: Ashley, Nathan, Tyler, Albert, Colby, Jesse, Brooklynn, Juliano, Janessa, David, Kevin, Elijah, Cameron, and Gracelynn; as well as his adored great-grandchildren: Elise, Mason, Avery, Eira, and Yameia.

Jose’s love and legacy will continue to live on through all who knew and loved him.