Chela was born in San Juan y Martinez Pinar de Rio, Cuba to parents Mariano and Maria Fuxá. In Cuba, she earned a bachelor’s degree and worked as a kindergarten teacher before leaving the workforce to raise a family. She came to the U.S. in 1970 and settled in Tampa, Florida in 1979. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Pablo Diaz; daughters Maria Elizabeth Diaz and Barbara Marlene Alvarez; son-in-law P. Raul Alvarez, Jr.; grandchildren Tania Rivas, P. Raul Alvarez, III, Christopher Alvarez and Victoria Alvarez; grandson-in-law Benjamin Rivas, Jr.; granddaughter-in-law Stephanie Alvarez; great grandchildren Benjamin Rivas, III and Bella Rivas; and sister Francisca “Silvia” Moreno. Chela was beautiful inside and out. She was a devoted wife. She loved fashion, photography, and attending to her home. Her legacy lives on through her daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who she poured into with unconditional love and devotion.
