June 20, 1931 - August 18, 2024 – Age 93
Rogelio “Roy” Tellez, a man whose life was characterized by faith, generosity, love, and boundless energy, passed away on August 18, 2024, at the age of 93.
Fulfilling a life of hard work and dedication, Roy's journey was shaped by his profound faith and his unyielding commitment to those he loved. His passion for life was evident in his many interests and hobbies. Roy had a deep appreciation for black-and-white movies, comedies, and music of all genres. He enjoyed dancing, cooking shows, and was known for being the life of the party, always living life on his own terms.
Following his service in the Korean War, Roy pursued his love for cooking, owning a pizza shop in New York and a bar in Miami. His drive and determination didn’t end with his retirement at 48; he continued to stay active as a contractor, contributing to home construction, volunteering for hurricane recovery efforts, and serving as a secretary note-taker for District Council 37’s retirees unit. Roy also often dedicated his time to working on various cars.
Roy's greatest joy came from his family. He held a deep admiration for his older sister, Olga, and cherished every moment spent with his granddaughters. Whether it was taking them to the park, playing dress-up, teaching them card games, or cooking breakfast (his signature eggs and potatoes), Roy's love for his granddaughters was evident. His eyes would light up at the sight of his great-grandsons, especially during playful water gun fights.
One of his daughter Grace's fondest memories was surprising him with Gloria Estefan tickets to a concert at Madison Square Garden.
His daughter Anne loved spending quality time fishing, and finding treasures in thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets. Most of all she loved watching him be a kid with his granddaughters and great grandsons.
His faith was a cornerstone of his life; he read his Bible every morning and instilled this faith in his daughters, which has guided their families to this day.
Roy is preceded in death by his parents, Diego and Catalina Tellez; his sister, Olga Cruzado; nephew Danny Cruzado and his son, John Sneed.
He is survived by his daughters, Anne (Willie) Cintron and Grace (Robert) Cardona; his granddaughters, Cindy (David) Sneed, Annalise (Robin) Pope, Susan (Aaron) Young, Rachel (Jesse) Krueger, Amanda (Nelson Rodriguez) Cardona, and Emilie Cardona; and his six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Olga’s three children: Peter Cruzado, Thomas Cruzado, Renee Cruzado and her grandchildren, “Tio Hello”, aka Uncle Roy, was their favorite uncle which was evident by how he was treated by them.
A funeral service for Rogelio will be held 10 a.m. Friday, August 23, 2024 at Stowers Funeral Home, 401 West Brandon Boulevard, Brandon, Florida. A committal service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota, Florida. The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m. Thursday, August 22, 2024 at the funeral home.
