Marcos Ruiz's Obituary
Marcos Ruiz passed away on October 27, 2024, the day before his 85th birthday, while surrounded by the children he loved in the home he filled with a legacy of faith, love, and freedom.
In 1939, Marcos was born in Santiago de Las Vegas, Cuba, whereby all accounts he immediately dove into a life of creativity, hard work, and learning. As a child he galloped around the neighborhood with his friends, recreating film sets out of scraps of wood and playing mad scientist. Eighty years after watching the film, Frankenstein, he could still recall, with great nuance, the small details he beheld that captivated his imagination and launched a dozen lifelong hobbies ranging from miniature modeling, film making, painting, and set design to computer graphics and sound engineering.
With his keen eye for beauty, it was only natural that his gaze should fall to the lovely Elsa Mora. He presented her with all the charm he could muster, which was considerable, but she promptly rebuffed him. Undeterred, Marcos pressed on in the courtship which eventually won him the love of his life— after she graciously allowed him to catch her.
Because of the daily love and devotion so faithfully nurtured between them, Marcos and Elsa weathered many storms over the course of their six decades together. He brought cafecito to her bedside every morning, built a lovely garden in their backyard, and worked diligently to provide a beautiful life for her in their sweet little home on 52nd street. With every brushstroke, pruned rosebush, and new home project, the small details of his artistry composed a love letter just for her.
Having left all their worldly possessions behind when fleeing the horrors of communism in Cuba, Marcos, Elsa, and their first-born daughter, Elsy, settled in Summit, New Jersey with the help of Mrs. Marion Leavens, Mrs. Kloffer, and the members of Calvary Episcopal Church. Out of gratitude, Marcos immediately registered for the draft upon arrival. Once he became a United States citizen, his heart bled for the nation that upheld the values he longed to have restored to Cuba. Marcos and Elsa never stopped celebrating the country that protected their freedom, granted domestic peace, and afforded opportunity for their family.
After the birth of their second daughter, Raquel, Marcos moved the family to Miami, Florida, where they later welcomed their son and his namesake, Marcos. He relished his role as a father and provider. Building a life-sized dollhouse for his little girls and painting fantastic murals on the walls of his son’s bedroom, he mastered the art of making much with the little he had for the delight of his children. They were never an afterthought. They were the joy of his life. For thirty years, Marcos and Elsa hosted a weekly Family Night dinner in their home for the entire family, seventeen at full peak attendance, to spend time together. The Ruiz home was filled with love, laughter, music, and countless stories of their adventures together. But the greatest story shared between them all was the gospel.
As a young man, Marcos came to faith in Christ while under the care of Reverend Franklin Lloyd Knox. Christ was the immovable foundation of his life and the irrevocable hope that carried him, especially in his last four years without Elsa. He served as an elder in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA) and was active in several men’s groups. He even lent his carpentry skills in building the annual nativity set at El Redentor Presbyterian Church.
After many years working as a painter, salesman, and credit manager in the construction industry, Marcos later worked at Miami Dade Community College for fifteen years and enjoyed many friendships there. He took a variety of adult education classes at MDCC as he strove to keep up with the many remarkable technological advancements that occurred during the course of his life. He never stopped learning. After retirement he started his own business, making signs for various hospitals and businesses.
Without doubt, the pinnacle of the many jobs Marcos held over the years came in his role as Abuelo. In this he excelled beyond all measure throughout his forty-year career. Building doll houses, filming home movies, sharing favorite country music songs, keeping the cookie jar full of Oreos, dancing at parties, and hosting Halloween, Marcos reveled in the art of loving his descendant's well. He loved calling up his grandkids and inviting them over to enjoy his perfect Chicken Parmesan. He made sure to learn about each grandchild’s interest so he could share it with them.
One after another, his grandchildren and great grandchildren have spent their early days being rocked to sleep in the simple wooden cradle he built for the future generations of his family. While it is a beautiful, treasured heirloom, this cradle is outmatched by the heirloom of the legacy he leaves behind. He never stopped speaking about how much the Lord had blessed him, even after the death of his beloved wife.
Marcos will be remembered as a good and faithful man, who served the Lord, loved his family, and worked hard to provide a happy home for those in his care. He walked into eternity with confidence and gratitude, knowing that restoration and beauty beyond all imagining awaited.
Marcos was predeceased by his beloved father and mother, Restituto (Tito) and Silveria (Luisa) Ruiz, his sister, Manuela Fernandez and his brother-in-law, Osvaldo Mora, along with his beloved wife of 60 years, Elsa Ruiz. Marcos will be dearly missed by his three children Elsa (Jose) Palacios, Raquel (Jose) Rodriguez, Marcos (Cecilia) Ruiz, grandchildren Elsa (Jeff) Iudicello, Natalie (David) Holzapfel, Raquel (Clay) Cooper, Emily Rodriguez, Joshua Ruiz, eight great grandchildren, and many more beloved family and friends.
Visitation and a service will be held on Sunday, November 3, 2024, between 5:30-10:30 pm at Miami Memorial 9800 SW 24 Street, Miami, FL 33165
A burial will follow on Monday, November 4 at 12:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations:
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