Margarita Ricabal de Fuentes peacefully passed away on September 23, 2020 at the age of 84 in the comfort of her home surrounded by her beloved family. She was born at the Maximo Gomez Hospital located in Mantanza, Cuba on July 10, 1936. She was one of 11 children between Julian Ricabal and Cecilia Alonso. She spent most of her youth in Cuba. She was known for being one of the most selfless and loving children. As a young woman she went to live with her Aunt in Cardenas, Cuba, to work and help her mother financially provide for the family. At the age of 16 she met the love of her life Esteban Rolando Fuentes. They both were so in love that they married after a short 6 months of courtship. While in love together they brought four wonderful children into this world, Margarita, Rolando, Orestes, and Anita. In 1970 she made a difficult decision to leave her parents and siblings behind and went on an adventure to seek a new life in the United States. She spent the rest of her life in West Palm Beach, Florida. Her willpower to make it work in this new world with her husband was short lived. Only two years after arriving to the states, she lost her husband in a tragic accident. She had to pick up the pieces being in a new world not knowing the language, and having four mouths to feed alone. Most individual would have run back home and relied on others to help. Determination to provide a solid foundation for her children was admirable. She worked at Good Samaritan hospital for 22 years and achieved her personal goal of buying a home in 1974. The household was tiny but always full of love, laughter and strict rules. Margarita was a god fearing women and always put her religion to the forefront. She would always remind everyone to have faith and pray. God knows what he does and everything happens for a reason. Her strong faith and perseverance was displayed on her last days. She was focused to get out of the hospital just to rest in peace in the comfort of her own home surrounded by her children and grandchildren.
Margarita was also known as Margot to her friends and family. Those that knew her could tell you what a warm hearted, selfless, fair, funny, elegant and optioned women she was. To know her was to love her for who she was no matter what. Everything would have to be done on her terms no if and or buts about it. That strong will and determination was what she instilled in her children that family is everything and they had to be there for one another. Even after all four of her children were married and begun families of their own. Following her own philosophy she would always made time to attend any celebration that her grandchildren had from birthdays, shows, graduations, weddings and baby showers nothing was too big or small. Surrounded by her family which was the legacy she created was what made her the happiest. Those that knew her really got to see a side of her that only memories can express. She was so soft and gentle and would speak to you in way that just soothed your soul. She accepted all for who they were and never held anything back that needed to be expressed or rectified. She always fought for the underdog and hustled her way thru life. All that and still looked elegant and ready to conquer anything she had her mind set on. She was a huge baseball fans and routed for the Marlins even if they loss. Her family would call her the Queen of games. There was no game she could not win from board games to dominoes. She loved to play Parcheesi and checkers, even taught her grandchildren how to play so she could spend time with them. Some would say towards her older years she would cheat but who could resist that sweet smile on her face when she won. Her teachings will live on thru her family. One remember family comes first, Two always be elegant and ready for any occasion, Three an organized house is an organized life, four be truthful to a fault and don’t hold anything back, five strive for your goals and lastly if something you do doesn’t come from the heart it is not natural.
Margarita is survived by,
4 children
11 grandchildren
13 great grand children
3 Siblings
Predeceased by
Husband
1 grandchild
7 Sibling
Buenos días y Gracias a todos por acompañarnos en este día para despedir a una gran mujer, mi abuelita Margarita Fuentes Ricabal.
Esta historia breve es de La gallinita que construyó un nido y puso 4 huevos de oro que se convirtieron en pollitos valientes y luchadores igual que ella, y que siempre han sido sus tesoros.
Mi gordita tuvo muchos nombres-mami, mima, Gorda, coco, abuela, wela go, madrina, ahijada, hermana, tía, amiga, Margot, y omo chango con oro para argallu- alatiku. No se pueden imagínar la cantidad de amor y carińo qué está envuelto en estos nombres.
Detrás de la trayectoria de su vida- la gorda venció cada batalla que tuvo, aprendió de sus fracasos y lecciones que la vida le dio y siempre se mantuvo firme para salir adelante. Este punto es muy importante porque aunque mi Gorda sufrió mucho en su vida por tragedia, ella no se dio por vencida.
Ella siempre fue una persona inteligente, con mucho character y valentía que necesitaba para sacar a sus hijos adelante en este mundo. Nada ni nadie la pudo frenar y logró sus metas que propuso.
Ella sembró una matica hace muchos ańos con sus manos suaves y le hecho agua cada día para ver la matica crecer y convertirse en un árbol. Hoy en día, ese árbol es el árbol más bonito y grande en el bosque que le a dado mucho fruto.
Siendo la cabeza de la familia, la gallina que mandaba y la que sembro la matica, ella puso su mano y corazón en ayudar a criar a todos sus 12 nietos. La gorda era un ejemplo para todos y nos enseñó varias cosas durante los ańos.
Algunos aprendieron con nalgadas, otros con conversaciones y cosquillas, algunos detrás de un juego de parcheesi, checkers o domino, muchos con amenazas de estar en la lista negra y otros en la cocina cuando estaba preparando sus platos principales como frijoles negros, fricasé de pollo, bacalao, arroz amarillo con carne puerco, chicken teriyaki, picadillo, arroz con leche o natilla. Y si los pollitos no llegaban a ella, la gallina cantaba y llamaba por teléfono al pollito en particular que le hacía falta en ese momento.
Siempre tenia el cafecito caliente y listo para cuando los pollitos regresaban al nido para visitarla y hablar de la vida, los otros nidos con los demás pollitos, o del panteón Yoruba y sus santos adorados y muy queridos.
Aunque parecía aveces que nuestra gordita nos estaba regranańdo, o fajándose con nosotros, nunca tuvo pelo en la lengua y nos consejaba con mucho amor y carińo- algunas frazes famosos—-“deja de fumar, baja de peso, sube de peso que estas flaca, hechate crema, peínate, ponte a dieta y come green beens, ve al médico, no se fajen, toma las medicinas, ten cuidado en la calle, deja te tomar que te hace dańo, etc” todo esto y mucho más eran palabras pequeñas que salian de un corazón muy grande.
Que fue que nos dejó la gorda? ?
Ella dejo lecciones y aprendizajes, chistes, sonrisas, recetas, y historias. Pero sobre todo- nos dejo su legado de amor que es grandiosa, un amor maternal, un amor puro y inocente, un amor que pudo vencer al mundo cuando el mundo no la queria a ella ni a ninguno de sus hijos. Atravez del tiempo su motor y razón de vivir siempre hacido el amor que siente por cada uno de sus pollitos. Estoy segura que ella está muy orgullosa de cada uno de nosotros en todo sentido.
Para Los que no saben- mi gordita se fue en paz en los brazos de mi papa, mi esposo Osvany y yo. Sus hijos cumplieron con su deseo de regresar a su casita el Miercoles 23 de septiembre donde mi gordita se comió un yogurt, tomó agua, la bańe, pudo ver sus otros hijos por video y cerro sus ojos por ultima vez un corto tiempo después. Aunque es muy triste tener que decirle adiós y no poder verla, escuchar su voz, o darle un abrazo- ella sigue viva en cada uno de nosotros.
Existe una cadena de amor que ella construyó con su alma que no se puede romper. Con este amor es que cada uno de nosotros podemos salir adelante y seguir su gran legado.
Que descanses en paz gordita mía, sabemos que eres un espíritu de luz y el ángel guardián de todos tus pollitos. I love you hoy, mañana y siempre💜
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