Lydia Hortensia de Castroverde Silva

Lydia Hortensia de Castroverde Silva was born on June 20th, 1943, in Havana, Cuba. She was the daughter of Placido de Castroverde and Hortensia de Castroverde, a Cuban soprano singer known for her beautiful voice and vocal range. She attended Merici Academy, taught by the prominent Ursuline Nuns, where she learned English and made many life-long friends. One of her most treasured memories was going shopping in El Encanto and eating an Elena Ruth sandwich with her Tio Enrique on Friday nights. She often recounted an occasion when she was eating with her Tio Enrique before a movie when a large commotion broke out inside the restaurant. The servers began to shout, “¡El comandante viene! Limpia todo/Fidel is coming! Clean everything!” Lydia vividly remembers seeing Fidel eating at a table right next to her. This was before Fidel was in control of the country, when he was selling his vision for Cuba. Lydia always said she had no idea what awaited her beautiful island, as the man who would change everything for so many and the course of history sat right next to her.

When Fidel Castro rose to power, her parents knew they had to get her out of the country and to safety. Lydia was one of the over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children who fled Communist Cuba via the Pedro Pan flights. This massive exodus, orchestrated with U.S. government help through religious and charitable organizations, placed children in foster homes and orphanages while awaiting family reunification, making it the largest recorded unaccompanied child refugee movement in the Western Hemisphere. She credited her strong faith in God for getting her through the loneliest and scariest time of her life.

Lydia was just shy of eighteen when she arrived in New York City by herself. She was eventually placed with a foster family, unsure if she would ever see her beloved parents again. Her foster family did not treat her well, and she found herself again in the position of needing to escape to safety. This was a shock to her, as in Cuba, she was considered part of Cuba’s high society. She had to adapt quickly to a new life in which she was no longer part of the social elite.

Lydia worked hard to propel herself forward. She mastered English, learning to speak, read, and write it so well that she was often a translator for those who struggled with it. Lydia joked that at one of her first real job interviews, she was asked if she knew how to use a typewriter. She said, “Sure, yes, I do!” She really had no idea how to use it but was willing to learn. She worked for Pan-Am and Eastern Airlines, which allowed her to travel to many parts of the United States and Canada.

By chance, she met Enrique Silva in New York City, and they eloped. He, too, had escaped Castro’s Cuba in search of a better life in the United States. Her parents would finally be able to escape Cuba, and once they arrived in New York, their daughter would already be a married woman in her mid-20s. Lydia and Enrique had their first child, a boy, Ricardo Enrique, in 1969, settling in Queens, New York.

They eventually moved to Miami, FL, under the belief that it was similar to the Cuba they had left behind. There, they had two more children, Gianeris Lydia in 1976 and Aliette Maria in 1981. Lydia’s children were her driving force. She worked hard to ensure her children would succeed and have deep roots in faith and love for God. Her children went on to marry, and Lydia and Enrique now have five wonderful grandchildren.

Lydia went on to work for the Social Security Administration, from where she retired. After retirement, she and Enrique built their dream beach home in Marco Island, Florida, where they lived for several years. From there, they moved back to Miami to be closer to their children. She loved to pray for others, had a strong belief in God’s plan, and her favorite charity was St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Lydia loved music, Broadway shows, nostalgic movies, and shows like I Love Lucy and The Golden Girls. She adored both Elvis Presley and Celia Cruz, and she never met a dog that didn’t love her right back. Lydia enjoyed sewing, taking pictures, and scrapbooking, but hated cooking.

Lydia was often the life of the party. She was a social butterfly who loved to dance and make new friends. She chatted with anyone about anything, especially about her treasured Cuba. She was a patriot, loving Cuba and America with the same passion. She carried her past fondly in her heart, always wanting to share the stories from her sacred island. She was feisty, proud, sassy, independent, and strong-willed. Nothing could keep her down, and no one would dominate her. She loved to travel and enjoyed cruising, but nothing topped her beloved New York and Havana.

She had a saying or “consejo” for any situation and was quick-witted with come-backs that would make anyone laugh. Her fun spirit made her loved by many. She will be deeply missed, but her family and friends know she is now reunited with her parents and loved ones in paradise.