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Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen Mourns Mother's Death

MIAMI (CBS4)- South Florida congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is mourning the death of her mother.

Amanda Ros, 84, died early Friday morning at a local hospital due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.

"My greatest aspiration has not been to be a member of Congress or the chairman of an important committee, but to be the type of loving mother to my children that she was to me,'' Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement.

Ros-Lehtinen added that her "mother always had a clever Cuban saying for every situation and I was astounded that she could remember so many at the appropriate time. My mom worked hard for a free Cuba and it saddens me deeply that she never got the opportunity to see her native homeland bathed in liberty and democracy."

Enrique Ros, her husband of 65 years, thanked all the doctors, nurses, caregivers and friends who have supported his family, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald.

Ros-Lehtinen skipped the president's State of the Union to be with her mother earlier this week.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in the name of Amanda Ros to the Alzheimer's Association, Southeast Florida Chapter, P.O. Box 22594, West Palm Beach, FL 33416.

Visitation will be Saturday from noon until midnight at the Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Funeral Home, 8200 SW 40 Street. Memorial services will be Sunday at 2 pm at Calvary Baptist Church, 226 S.W. 17 Avenue.

(© MMX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)

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