Elena N. Lara

Elena de las Nieves Diaz, also known as Nieves by some, was born in Habana, Cuba on August 13th, 1925 to Trinidad Fernandez de Diaz and Evaristo Diaz. She married Benito Lara of Pinar del Rio, Cuba when she was 19 years old and had a daughter Martha Sonia and a son Alejandro. Alejandro died at the very young age of approximately 4. In 1957, Elena’s husband Benito decided to follow his brother-in-law, Mario Diaz, to the United States of America looking for better opportunities to take care of his family. Elena and their daughter Martha joined him in Miami, FL. They settled down in Miami with a brief visit to Cuba that was shortened due to Castro’s Cuban revolution. Elena quickly returned to Miami with her daughter never to return to Cuba again.

As Elena settled into her new life in a new Country, she befriended the Bolívar family, also Cuban immigrants. Her daughter Martha Sonia later married Luis Ismael Bolívar and gave Elena two grandchildren Luis Alberto and Martha Elena. Elena became a key part in the lives and care of her grandchildren after her daughter divorced and went to work to help provide for her children. “Mima” or “vieja”, as Elena was lovingly referred to by her daughter and grandchildren, was a loving and dedicated grandmother and housewife who had a great passion for cleaning. She also loved dogs, potato chips, coffee, and sweets especially traditional Cuban dishes like flan and arroz con leche. “Mima” had a collection of stuffed animals and saved an old doll her granddaughter had as a little girl, all of which she displayed on her bed. Elena received Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at a Baptist Church over 30 years ago and enjoyed reading her Bible and other Christian books.

In 1994, Elena’s husband Benito went home to be with the Lord. She eventually became a Citizen of the United States and in 2013 she moved to Palm Bay, FL with her daughter Martha Sonia, moving close to her granddaughter Martha Elena and her granddaughters husband DeLaun. Elena’s daughter lovingly took great care of her for many years as Elena aged and became frail. On June 1, 2017 Elena peacefully went home to be with the Lord and was reunited with her husband Benito and son Alejandro in Heaven. She is now running around and doing things she was unable to do for many years. Elena is survived by her daughter Martha Sonia Lara Concepcion, her grandson Luis Alberto Bolívar, and her granddaughter Martha Elena Fifield.