Martha Guardia Bermello

August 27, 1921 – December 14, 2013

Martha was born in Central Toledo, Marianao, La Habana at 8:00am on August 27th, 1921. Her parents were Jose Guardia Mendez, from Orotava, Tenerife, Islas Canarias; and, Matilde Martinez Lisazo, from Pipian, Habana Province. Martha was one of 5 children. Two of her siblings are still alive in Habana, Cuba, her sisters Josefina Guardia Martinez and Yolanda Guardia Martinez.

Martha was the widow of Guillermo R. Bermello, well known Cuban American businessman who presided over Editorial America for over 3 decades. Martha and Guillermo met in Mayajigua in the mid 1940’s and subsequently married at the Church of Iglesia del Santo Cristo, Habana, Cuba, on September 11, 1949. Martha and Guillermo were happily married for 63 years. They had one son, Willy A. Bermello, local architect, developer and community activist.

Martha was a devout loving wife and mother; and up to the time that she, Guillermo and Willy left Cuba on October 22, 1960, escaping the tyranny of the Castro regime, she had worked as Purchasing Director for ASPURU, one of the largest sugar producers in the country; and owner of Central Toledo, where Martha was born. In the early exile years, she supported her husband and family, while working as a clerical assistant at a local electrical appliances outlet in central Miami. She was forever known for her grace, beauty and gentle smile. But to her husband, as evidenced by more than 120 love letters written during 4 decades of Guillermo’s travel around the world, she was known as “mi linda”.

Viewing services will be held Monday, December 16th, 2013, at Memorial Plan Funeral Home, Chapel located at 1717 S.W. 37th Avenue, Miami, Florida. Visitation hours will be from 5:00pm to 11:00 p.m. The funeral services will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 at Woodlawn Park Cemetery Mausoleum, located at 3260 S.W. 8th Street, Miami, Florida.

The family requests that instead of Flowers, a donation to the Coral Gables Community Foundation be made in Martha’s name.