Adelfa M. Rosende

Adelfa Moas Rosende passed away peacefully on July 13, 2023, five days after her 94th birthday, having led a life marked by a strong Faith, generosity toward all, and perseverance in the face of many challenges. She will be missed by her loving family.

Adelfa was born on July 8, 1929 in El Surgidero de Batabano, a town on the south coast of the province of Havana, Cuba, to Felix Moas y Yanez, a Spanish émigré, and Antonia Sanchez Herrera y Moas, the daughter of émigrés from the Canary Islands. Adelfa had an older sister, Aleida (Estes) and an older brother, Humberto; she would also have another brother, Felix, two years her junior.

In the early 1930s, the family moved to the town of Nueva Gerona, on the Isle of Pines, Cuba. Adelfa spent an idyllic childhood on this tropical island. From 8th grade on, she was sent to Havana to attend a Catholic boarding school for girls. After high school, she attended the Normal School for Kindergarten Teachers in Havana. Upon graduation, she returned to Nueva Gerona to teach school.

In 1952 she met Carlos Guillermo Rosende y Dominguez, a civil engineer from Havana, who was assigned to the Isle of Pines to modernize and expand the island’s infrastructure. The couple fell in love and were married on August 8th, 1954. The following July, they were blessed with their first son, Carlos Alberto Rosende.

After the communist regime of Fidel Castro took control of Cuba in 1959, the oppressive policies and disregard for human rights, personal property, and, particularly, religion compelled the young family to leave their beloved island and go to the United States. In January 1961, Adelfa, her husband, and son, flew to Miami, becoming political refugees and seeking political asylum in the U.S. Other members of the extended family would soon follow.

Adelfa, with limited English language skills, took a job in alterations at a department store; her husband did unskilled labor at a construction site. Young Carlos started first grade. As jobs became scarce in Miami, the family moved to Connecticut in search of better employment. After “two winters”, the family returned to Florida, settling in Pompano Beach in 1964. This same year, her second son, Eduardo, was born. Within two years, Adelfa’s husband took the State of Florida Engineering examination and passed the exam, opening the door for him to regain job opportunities as a civil engineer. He would go on to work for Florida Power and Light Company for more than 20 years.

Adelfa and her husband, Carlos, had lived the American dream. Starting as immigrants, with English as a second language, they had been guided by a deep Faith, had applied their strong work ethic, and with unwavering determination and resilience, they had started literally from scratch and built a prosperous life in their adopted country.

Adelfa and her husband were ideal examples for their sons. The oldest, Carlos, had a successful career in the U.S. Navy as a physician and followed it with a second career in academic medicine. Eduardo retired as captain from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Florida, after a 36-year career in law enforcement.

After her husband retired, he and Adelfa would travel frequently; they especially enjoyed ocean cruises. They were particularly close to their three grandchildren and enjoyed their visits with them.

Adelfa’s husband, Carlos, passed away in Pompano Beach in 2018 at the age of 92. They had been married for 64 years; they had been inseparable. By this time, all of Adelfa’s siblings and their spouses, as well as most of their long-time friends, had also passed. Surviving nieces and nephews no longer lived in the area. Adelfa then moved to San Antonio, Texas, where her oldest son and his wife resided. Gradually, Adelfa’s health declined, and she required increasing assistance, particularly after becoming afflicted with Alzheimer’s over the last three years. Her last months were at a Memory Care facility in San Antonio, Texas.

Adelfa had a quick wit, a spark in her eyes, and always looked elegant, even in humble dress. She was a wonderful dancer. Music was a magic elixir for her—even when wheelchair bound, the rhythm of Cuban music would elicit a smile, a twinkle in the eyes and her limbs would move to the beat. Adelfa learned to cook in her 30s after coming to the U.S. Despite this late start, she became an outstanding chef of Cuban cuisine, and her grandchildren would request their favorite dishes when visiting.

Adelfa is survived by her two sons and their spouses: Carlos and Karen, and Eduardo and Gigi; by her grandchildren: by her great-grandchildren: and numerous nephews and nieces. The family wishes to thank the wonderful physicians and staff of UT Health San Antonio, who cared for Adelfa during the last four years, particularly, Dr. Angelica Davila. In addition, we wish to extend our gratitude to the staff of Arden Courts for the compassionate, warm and kind care they provided Adelfa during her last year.

Adelfa will be interred next to her loving husband, Carlos G. Rosende, in Pompano Beach, Florida.