Rachel De La Vina

Rachel DeLaVina, 85, Tampa, FL, passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020. Rachel was first generation American, Tampa native, born to Cuban immigrant parents (Amparo Couto and Antonio Fernandez) on June 12, 1934, in Tampa, FL. Rachel enjoyed living in Ybor City attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) academy graduating in 1952. Rachel always enjoyed nursing, and attended the Lincoln Institute of Practical Nursing, working with doctors in the Tampa area.

On June 13, 1954, Rachel was married to Manuel DeLaVina (who passed away on May 14, 2017); they celebrated 62 years of marriage. Travel was not her favorite activity, but we somehow got her in the car every year to visit our cousins in Atlanta and to visit the North Carolina Mountains. Rachel’s favorite vacation spot was close to home on one of the many great beaches in the St Petersburg, Belleair Bluffs, Treasure Island areas. Every year at least one week had to be enjoyed walking the beach in the morning and at sunset. If you asked Rachel what her favorite vacation would be, she would tell you a week at the beach just sitting with the windows open hearing the waves.

Rachel also enjoyed working with children and volunteered throughout her children’s lives as the homeroom mother, craft coordinator, volunteer fundraiser, and clothes closet manager at her church. After her children were grown, Rachel became a teacher’s aid at LaVoy Exceptional Center for students with special needs. She always mentioned how rewarding it was to see the kids and the achievements they made each day. Rachel also loved animals, and as a family we always had a dog with the occasional cat and even gerbils. Her last companion for over 12 years was her dog Buddy. He was a little hard of hearing, but always seemed to smell food. Both loved food so they were a great combination of companionship.

Rachel loved collecting angel figurines of all shapes and sizes in addition to books about angels. If you were going on a trip, Rachel would typically hand you a small pocket angel that she wanted you to carry with you for protection. When Rachel moved into her new apartment in October, her angel collection came with her. It took over 6 very large boxes to transport the collection, but she proudly displayed them, and shared memories behind each one of them to the nurses and aides at Discovery Village. One of the nurses told us that whenever she was feeling down, she would stop by and talk to Rachel, and visit all the angels. The nurse described Rachel as honest and she “told it to you straight”, so she always left feeling better after their visits.

Rachel is survived by her two children, Manuel, Jr. (wife Debbie) and Yvette Riddle (husband Steven) all living in Tampa, FL. Three grandchildren, Joe, Kevin (wife Lindsay), and Jessica in addition to four great grandchildren Tyler, Bryson, Ethan, and Lily, and many cousins in the U.S., Cuba, and Spain.

Rachel’s memory will live on through her family and all the interesting stories we heard about growing up in Tampa near the cigar factories.

As of now until the Covid-19 pandemic passes, there will not be a memorial service. As soon as things get back to normal, then we will post the information here related to any type of service and burial.