Elsa Cira Riera's Obituary
Elsa Cira Penabades Riera was born on August 3rd, 1929, in her beloved Matanzas Cuba to Pablo Luis Penabades and Maria Josefa Arenas Penabades. She attended the University of Havana and earned a bachelor’s degree in education. After graduating she taught in rural areas of Cuba. She and her brother Rolando opened a school for basic literacy skills and college preparatory classes. Teaching was her lifelong passion. Her favorite saying was " you may lose your home, your country, your family, but no one can take your knowledge or your dignity".
She passed this on to her children and grandchildren. She immigrated to the United States on May 24th 1961arriving in Miami with her 2 daughters Maria and Leticia, where she joined her husband, Gaston. They were sponsored in Clearwater Florida by The Episcopal Church of the Ascension. She maintained a deep love and gratitude to the Ascension and to the United States for providing refuge and a harbor of support during what had to have been a time of great change. She worked as a Laboratory Technician in Microbiology at Morton Plant Hospital for 35 years. This too became like a second home. Her life was illustrious. One in which she loved with all of her heart. Forgave. Experienced love, loss, joy and sorrow. She traveled the world and made many lifelong friends. She and Gaston became safe harbors for many who traveled the same road that they had. She led by example and was an imperfectly perfect human being.
She loved her children and grandchildren with all of her heart. She was joyous and giving, a force to be reckoned with. She will be missed by so many as she touched many, many lives.
She is survived by Her daughters Maria Mason and Leticia Lewis. Her son in laws James Mason, Howard Lewis and Jim Overton. Her grandchildren; Jessica M Jenkins, Evan A Thibodeau, Heather Benton, Joshua Overton, Marleina Lyonswolfe, Alexandra Lewis, Jordan Lewis. Great Grandchildren; Aidan J. Jenkins ,Kira Overton and Kai Overton, and great great grandson Luca Overton.
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