Lynn M. Summers Aguirre

Lynn was born in Gainesville to parents who instilled in her the fundamental values that made her the extraordinary woman who served this community since her arrival in Miami in the early seventies. With a strong faith in the Lord, her personal code for life was to serve, give, care, love and help, anyone in need, whether friends or the poor and helpless. In 2000 she was asked to serve on the board of directors of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, an assignment that would change her life dramatically. There she met another board member, Horacio Stuart Aguirre, who would become the love of her life and she of his. On that day at the Board meeting, the fate of the two was sealed for the next twenty years of friendship and love with Horacio and his family. Lynn loved life, loved her family, loved her friends, loved politics, loved books, loved art and loved her cats. She enjoyed a good glass of wine and an evening with friends. She was unassuming about her own accomplishments, of which she had many, and was always willing to help others.

After graduating from Santa Fe High School, Lynn attended the University of Florida where she graduated with honors. She moved to Miami in the early ‘seventies with a strong desire to attend law school. Judge Gerald Wetherington, with whom she developed a lifelong friendship, hired her as a bailiff and she became the first female court bailiff in Miami-Dade County, featured on the front page of the Miami News sporting the new woman’s bailiff blue blazer. Upon completing her law studies at the University of Miami, Lynn was recruited by Hugo Black, Jr., to join his law firm. A few years later she was recruited to join the United States Dept. of Justice as an Assistant United States Attorney in Miami. While always remaining tight-lipped about her work as an AUSA, she worked in the Southern District of Florida during some very interesting times, no doubt chasing some of the corrupt and evil personalities of the day with the same determination she had for everything else.

Lynn was very proud to have served fourteen years with the Leonard Abess family on the board of directors of City National Bank, an outstanding Miami banking institution.

She later met the late Alvah Chapman and accepted a position where she could continue to serve. Lynn became the second executive director for the Community Partnership for the Homeless (now Chapman Partnership) and helped draft and negotiate the Pottinger Agreement between the City of Miami and the homeless community. As a member of the leadership team of the Junior League of Miami, Lynn played a key role in the creation of the lodging projects of the League for women with children who need a safe refuge while “In Transition.”

She loved The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and understood this was a priceless treasure for the community. Lynn was recruited and volunteered as a member of the leadership committee that brought about the county General Obligation Bond that gave county government the funding to take county services into the next level in the new century. She served as the Executive Director of The Vizcayans for many years, often working seven days a week, especially during difficult times when over-development would threaten the essence of the museum. Soon thereafter, Lynn played a instrumental role in likewise saving the Miami River and the Miami River District from over-development that would have eliminated thousands of jobs and left the river district as a blighted concrete canyon.

Her final love of service was as president of the Friends of the Library, the Miami-Dade County organization that supports the Public Library System. She knew that books and reading where invaluable and the key to lifting up children, especially in underprivileged communities. Her enthusiasm for books was unending.

Her family is very grateful to two outstanding medical professionals, Dr. Paul Ruggiano and Dr. Jolly Varki, the gifted oncologist who gave Lynn the extra years that some had said was not possible.

Lynn is survived by her loving husband, Horacio Stuart Aguirre; Horacio’s children whom she considered and loved as her own: son Horacio Stuart Aguirre Jr. and daughter Alessandra Maria Aguirre, for whom she had immense love and pride; sisters-in-law Carmen Maria Aguirre, Helen Aguirre Ferre; Marta Aguirre Bascom and brother-in-law Alejandro J. Aguirre as well as sister Sybil Farwell (Dick Farwell), brother Alvin Mobley, sister Renee Mobley Sands and sister Marcia Mobley Yiasemides, and Jorge Arubla, whom she also considered a son and of whom she was very proud.

A Funeral Mass for Lynn will be celebrated on Saturday, February 20, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 3220 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, FL 33127. Internment will follow the mass from 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery, on the open south lawn, 3260 SW 8Th St, Miami, Florida 33135.

A Celebration of Life will be planned for later this year, just as Lynn would have wanted, replete with joy, laughter, political commentary, and good old-fashioned fun.

Arrangements entrusted to Caballero Rivero Little Havana Funeral Home, Lynn Giraud, Funeral Director.

In Lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to any of the organizations above.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.riverofuneralhomemiami.com for the Summers Aguirre family.