Leontina Himber

Born in Bucharest, Romania, on November 28, 1957, Tina displayed determination and courage from an early age. At just five years old, with only a small lunchbox in hand, she slipped away from her Romanian kindergarten and began walking west. When found a short time later and asked where she was going in such a hurry, she simply replied, “To America.”

Leaving Romania during the communist era was nearly impossible, but at the age of twenty-one, Tina made that dream come true—one of many she would go on to achieve.

After arriving in Los Angeles in 1979, Tina quickly learned English and, within a few short years, became a proud naturalized American citizen. She embraced the American dream wholeheartedly - first as a fashion model and later as an interior designer. Her distinctive blend of European elegance and modern California style transformed modest homes into stunning estates for some of Los Angeles’s most notable residents.

Yet fame never impressed her as much as kindness did. Tina’s warmth, generosity, and radiant spirit left everyone she met feeling valued and seen. It was her rare gift—her magic. That magic deepened in 1996, when she welcomed her greatest joy and love, her son, Vaughn.

Tina is survived by her beloved son, Vaughn Himber; her sister, Paula Matei-Platt; her brother-in-law, Dan Platt; and her former husband and Vaughn’s father, Guy Himber.

She will be remembered for her magnetic personality, her artistic vision, her love for all creatures great and small, and the beauty she brought into the lives of everyone who knew her.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 12 p.m.at St. Mark Orthodox Church, 1517 57th St. E., Bradenton, Florida.