Obituary of Raquel Farber Vazquez

Raquel Farber Vazquez, 90, of Staten Island, N.Y., passed away at home on January 5th, 2025, after a multi-year-long battle with cancer(s). Born to Israel Farber and Sheina Nieboschik in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she immigrated to the United States in 1970 with her husband and four children, joining her brother and his family in New York City.

Raquel lived life to the fullest and was the epitome of the American Dream. She earned a GED and, subsequently, an undergraduate degree from the College of Staten Island and a graduate degree in Social Work from Rutgers University. Even after receiving her degrees, she was a permanent student of the classroom and life. When she was not working to support her clients, she enjoyed studying past life regression and spiritualism, spending time with friends and family, and knitting for her grandchildren and, eventually, her great-grandchildren. She was a loving great-grandmother/Gigi, grandmother/Bobe, daughter, wife, sister, mother, friend, and, most importantly, a fighter, whether it was to gain access to more education, advocate for what was right, or argue with a doctor (and ultimately be right). Raquel had a passion and fire for life and what it meant to live.

She is survived by her brother, Ben, three of her children (Raul, Adriana, and Leonardo), and multiple nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. From wherever she is, we know she will be watching over all of us alongside her previously deceased husband, Raul, and daughter, Nilda.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that a donation be made in Raquel's name to organizations that she was passionate about:

- UNICEF USA

- American Cancer Society

- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

- Doctors without Borders