Maria Giselda Capote's Obituary
Maria Giselda Carbonell de Capote or as she preferred being called "Gisela" was born on April 24, 1928 in Remedios, Las Villas, Cuba, she was 93 years old. She was the third child of six siblings born to Manuel Carbonell-Rodriguez and Benita Guajardo-Meza. As a young girl she was a very strong, inquisitive young woman that took NO for an answer and would always help her mother Benita with any chores that were given to her as well as helping in the raising of her younger siblings.
Mama was an amazing, devoted, dedicated Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Aunt, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. Gisela was loved by all who knew her and she was always in a very happy and good mood; ready for a party and she loved music and loved to dance! She proved this during her 90th birthday bash when she heard "Caballo Viejo" and she started dancing by herself until her son-in-law (Luis Leon-Capa) danced with her. She had a very unique fashion style about her that was very sophisticated, stylish, elegant, chic and always classy. I think this is how everyone that knew her will remember her. She loved her outings to the hair stylist and going to the nail salon! She was definitely a girly-girl!! Remember this always Sasha Rose Leon!
She married my father, Ortelio Conrado Capote-Garcia on November 19, 1955 in Remedios, Las Villas. They raised a son (Jose Manuel Valdes) which they adopted since he was born - he was my mom's sister's son. They also had a daughter in 1959 (Gelcy Capote-Carbonell, during the height of the Cuban revolution in Havana).
In 1961, they decided they had to leave their beloved Cuba because of the oppression, assassinations due to the Cuban Revolution that had started to take place, and they decided to leave Havana and headed to Miami, Florida. After about two years here in Miami, things were not going well and once again they decided to look towards a "better" place to live and to raise their family. They had heard so much about California from other Cuban immigrants and family members that they started to pack up all their belongings in an old 1955 Chevy and moved cross country. Sure enough, from the moment they arrived in Los Angeles, Gisela and Capote started working immediately and started saving money (both my parents had multiple jobs and they always remembered what they had left behind in their beloved Cuba; their family, friends and their roots!)
Gisela was an amazing and very talented seamstress and she immediately starting working in the garment district of Los Angeles designing and creating "bathing suit samples" for multiple well-known designers. She worked with various swimsuit lines and designers. One of them, Catalina Swimwear and Estevez the Designer. She also loved to sew for the entire family and loved what she did, it was in her blood and she took pride in her work always.
My father Ortelio worked with Sears Roebuck in Los Angeles until the company decided to move to Chicago and he decided that he was not going to move the family once again. In addition, and during this tumultuous time the situation in Cuba was getting worse politically and financially and Gisela started bringing her family from Cuba; one family at a time. That was my mom's purpose in life, to help as many family members as she could leave the devastation and oppression that Cuba was and continues to be in even after 62 years of communist regime.
Gisela was a strong, fierce and stubborn woman. She would not take NO for an answer and was very strict with her ethics and moral judgment. When she talked or addressed you, she made sure you listened or if not, she will repeat and repeat.
She was kindhearted, compassionate and generous. But don't abuse her thoughtfulness or her goodness or she would strike back in a heartbeat and without fail. Some would say she at times could be very COLD and TOUGH in her ways. This was her way of saying "I Love You".
She was a brave and courageous woman. She was also very vulnerable.
She was loving, caring and very devoted, especially to her grandchildren.
Her son, Jose Manuel (known as Machi) passed away of a sudden massive heart attack in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. Almost 20 years later, the love of her life, Ortelio Conrado Capote also passed away of a massive heart attack in 2006 in Miami, Florida.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, her son and her devoted husband.
She is survived by her daughter, Gelcy Capote Leon, Derek Leon and Christy Leon (Gelcy's son and daughter-in-law) and their three children (Lucas Christopher, Matteo Christian, and Jacob Christian), Devin Leon and Marissa Siladji-Leon (Gelcy's son and daughter-in-law)and their two children (Sasha Rose and Jackson Conrad), Tatiana Leon (Gelcy's youngest daughter), Lizette Valdes (son's oldest daughter) and her two sons (Erick and Gabriel Martinez), Annette Valdes-Calzadilla (son's youngest daughter) and her two children (Evan and Elise Calzadilla)
Gisela, Tita, Gise, Mama....hasta que nos veamos otra vez. Te queremos mucho y para siempre. ¡Descansa en paz! ¡Se que estas con Machi y Papi en el reino de nuestro señor!
Tus hijos y nietos.
NGLISH (Version en ESPANOL al final)
VIRTUAL Service FRIDAY - SEPTEMBER 3 via ZOOM Video Call
10:30 AM (EST) - Funeral Service - 30 minutes
11:30 AM (EST) - Graveside Service - 30 minutes
After the Funeral Service, the Virtual Service will be on pause
until the graveside service starts. You can remain on the call or
you can log off and re-join at 11:30 am.
PLEASE all participants will be on MUTE and must remain on MUTE
for the entire service. Thank You.
To Join The Zoom Virtual Service From a Computer or Mobile Phone,
Go to: https://zoom.us/join
and enter the numbers for the meeting ID below:
Meeting ID: 891 5358 7548
If you are joining from your cell phone,
please download the free Zoom mobile app first and
then click on join meeting
The above instructions should enable to join the virtual service,
but just in case, more detailed zoom log in info is below:
Topic: Virtual Service For Maria Giselda Carbonell-Capote ("Gisela")
Time: Sep 3, 2021 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89153587548
Meeting ID: 891 5358 7548
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Meeting ID: 891 5358 7548
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ESPANOL:
Servicio VIRTUAL Viernes - 9/3/2021 - a través de Videollamada ZOOM
10:30 AM (EST) - Servicio funerario - 30 minutos
11:30 AM (EST) - Servicio junto a la tumba - 30 minutos
Después del funeral, el servicio virtual estará en pausa.
hasta que comience el servicio junto a la tumba. Puede permanecer en la llamada o
puede cerrar la sesión y volver a unirse a las 11:30 am.
POR FAVOR, todos los participantes estarán en MUTE y deben permanecer en MUTE
para todo el servicio. Gracias.
Para unirse al servicio virtual Zoom desde una computadora o teléfono móvil,
Vaya a: https://zoom.us/join
e ingrese los números para el ID de la reunión a continuación:
ID de la reunión: 891 5358 7548
Si se une desde su teléfono celular,
primero descargue la aplicación móvil gratuita Zoom y
luego haga clic en unirse a la reunión
Las instrucciones anteriores deberían permitir unirse al servicio virtual,
pero por si acaso, a continuación se muestra información de inicio de sesión de zoom más detallada:
Tema: Servicio virtual para Maria Giselda Carbonell-Capote ("Gisela")
Hora: 3 de septiembre de 2021 a las 10:30 a.m., hora del este (EE. UU. Y Canadá)
Unirse a la reunión de Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89153587548
ID de la reunión: 891 5358 7548
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- 1346248 7799 EE. UU. (Houston)
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ID de la reunión: 891 5358 7548
Encuentre su número local: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb1ouOgGmD
What’s your fondest memory of Maria?
What’s a lesson you learned from Maria?
Share a story where Maria's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Maria you’ll never forget.
How did Maria make you smile?