Rosalia M Whitehouse's Obituary
Rosalia Maria Whitehouse, the only daughter of Dr. Rafael Ferrer y Del Castillo
and Rosicler Giberga-Touzet, born in Havana, Cuba on November 11, 1935, passed
serenely at her home on October 7, 2020, with her family by her side. She is survived
by her daughter Joan M. Whitehouse and Cristina M. Whitehouse, Ph.D., son-in-law Dr.
Roniel Cabrera and grandson Colin M. Cabrera.
Rosalia graduated St. George’s School, Havana, Cuba on June 19th, 1953 and
went on to graduate from Georgetown Visitation Junior College, Washington, D.C. in
1955. She received the title of Patron Deportivo de Segunda Clase y de Patron de Vela
from Academia Nacional De Patrones in 1956, Havana, Cuba. Brilliant, bi-lingual, and
attentive to detail, Rosalia was the assistant to the Naval Attaché, American Embassy,
Havana, Cuba until she exiled to the United States during the Cuban Revolution. Once
in Miami, FL, she worked at the administration offices of Miami Transit.
On April 7, 1962, she married Henry Remsen Whitehouse II, at Saints Peter and
Paul Catholic Church, Miami FL. Daughter Joan Marie was born in Cali, Colombia in
1963, and daughter Cristina Maria Whitehouse was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico in
1973. Following her divorce, Rosalia settled in Miami in 1984, where she lived until her
passing.
“Rosita”, as she is affectionately called, was deeply loved and profoundly
admired by all her family, friends, neighbors, and strangers alike. Rosie’s unwavering
faith, strength, generosity, and kindness set an example to all who knew her. She loved
to laugh, to socialize, to dance, to read, to listen to music, to shop for that special gift for
that special person. She made everyone feel uniquely loved and cherished. She was a
compassionate listener who always uplifted others. She preferred to laugh than to ever
complain.
Rosita lived life with gusto, whether when traveling Europe as a young woman, enjoying the seas in Havana, the Big Five and, throughout her life, going out to lunch
with her family and friends, traveling, and attending special events and
celebrations. She never let anything dampen her spirits, including having lived with
multiple sclerosis (MS) for 48 years.
Rosita personified beauty, elegance, and grace in life as in her passing. In her
final days, she boldly declared: “I love life.” One of her final acts on this earth was to blow a kiss to her daughters.
What’s your fondest memory of Rosalia?
What’s a lesson you learned from Rosalia?
Share a story where Rosalia's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Rosalia you’ll never forget.
How did Rosalia make you smile?
