Rafaela Ramona Salazar, known by those closest to her as “Fela,” was born on January 2, 1923 in the city of Santi Espiritud, in Las Villas, Cuba, daughter of Francisco Valdes y Amparo Beunza Munoz. She was the youngest of five brothers and sisters. Rafaela, learned at a young age the value of family, sacrifice, and hard work; qualities that would define her throughout her life. In her young adulthood she moved to La Habana, Cuba with her mother where she worked as a seamstress and at Manuel L. Gomez department store. In La Habana, she met Nilo M. Salazar, and they got married on Octubre 1st, 1953. They later had two children: Nilo Rafael Salazar Valdez and Carmen Teresa Salazar Valdez. Then, in 1973 she immigrated to the United States with her family in search of freedom and opportunities. Once in the US, she worked tirelessly, overcoming a language barrier, to provide for her children and give them the opportunities she never had. Her son went on to become a successful engineer and a father; her daughter succeeded as a businesswoman and became a mother. In 1991, she would go on to realize her dream of becoming a U.S. citizen. In her retirement years she continued to help her children in her role as grandmother. Her love of family, dedication, and perseverance are qualities she passed on to those closest to her. Abuela Fela, as she was fondly referred to by her children and grandchildren, was loved deeply in life and her memory lives on in each one of them.
