Maria del Pilar Edwards, 58, of Sebring, Florida, formerly Miami, Florida, passed away on March 24, 2020. Born in Havana, Cuba, on October 12, 1961, to Ramon and Ana Rosa Hernandez, she was the fifth of seven children. Her family immigrated to the United States from Cuba in 1967 and settled in Miami, where Maria went on to graduate from Miami Central High School, and years later obtained her Certified Nursing Assistants license.
She married her beloved husband, Ronnie Edwards, in 1983, and raised his three children, giving all her time and tender-loving-care to Ronnie ‘for better and for worse, in sickness and in health’ enjoying Saturday night stock-car racing at Hialeah Speedway, scenic trips in Tennessee, and working tirelessly as Ronnie’s nurse until his death in 2001. She loved her family and friends, especially her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, sisters, and brothers, living up to her name “Pilar” as the pillar of the family, always placing the needs of others above her own.
She worked at the Humane Society of Miami for over twenty-five years, rescuing many cats, dogs, birds, bringing many into her own home. Up until her passing, Maria worked at First Broward and First Manatee Auto Tag agencies, where her sudden loss has been felt by her bosses and co-workers.
Maria is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, grandparents, and brother, Javier Hernandez. She is survived by her son, Chad Edwards (Stefanie); daughter, Alicia Cantrell (Steve); daughter, Jennifer Vega (Peter); grandchildren, Maria, Madison, Peter, Carson, Cecilia, Aspen, Magdalena, Veronica, and Ana Maria; brother, Thomas Salazar (Benilde); brother, Mario Hernandez (Maggie); sister, Barbara Vargas (Benito); sister, Marta Miranda; sister, Antonia Hernandez (Sonny); aunt, Beatriz Hernandez; uncle, Armando Hernandez; nieces and nephews, Gretel, Anita, Javier Jr., Manuel, Ramon, Alicia, Teresa, David, Jennifer, Monica, Joseph, Andrew, Benito Jr., David, William Jr., Savannah, Samantha, Sabrina, Sunnie; grandnieces and grandnephews; and, especially, her closest childhood friend, Paula Jean Sanchez.
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