Mrs. Elvira Cabrera

Elvira Capote was born on June 12, 1926 in the city of Alquizar, Cuba. Her parents were Pedro Antonio Capote and Eustoquia Moreno. Her father was a farmer who harvested pineapples and tobacco, and raised pigs and chickens to sell and to feed his large family. Her mother had her hands full caring for her beloved 9 children: Marcela, Maria, Martin, Jesus, Elvira, Alberto, Felix (whose biological mother died when he was born and became part of the family), Valerio, John and Carlos. Soon after her family sold the farm, she was sent to live with her newly widowed Aunt Rosa, who introduced her to the SDA church. At age 17, she and her sister Marcela convinced their father to part with his beloved youngest daughter so that she could attend the Adventist College of Santa Clara, 6 hours away from home, where she hoped to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. While studying, Elvira fell ill with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and sadly had to leave college. ‡ One of Elvira’s great loves was “Decimas Guajiras” (poetry-based Cuban country music). In her spare time she wrote and performed decimas for local radio stations and churches, a great talent for which she would be sought after her whole life. It was in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Marianao where she met her beloved husband Roberto Cabrera. On December 5, 1948, they married and moved to the province of Matanzas, where the newlyweds dedicated their lives to the Lord's work. There they completed their joy with the addition of Robert, Lydia, Rebecca and Mary to the family. ‡ In 1962 when the Cuban Revolution claimed the lives of several family members, they packed their meager belongings and left Cuba for the safety and promise of the United States, settling down in the Maryland/DC area. Elvira supplemented the family income by expanding her skills as an expert seamstress, to include draperies and upholstery, a craft taught to her by her eldest sister, Marcela. In addition to cooking and caring for her treasured children, Elvira worked by day as a seamstress for Montgomery Ward, and by night for local decorating companies. She was proud to have made the draperies for the Blue Room in the White House, as well as single-handedly sewing the bridesmaid’s dresses for her daughters’ weddings, and completing countless sewing projects for her children. ‡ One of Elvira’s great passions was her church. She was an active member, volunteering where needed and ministering to the needs of the church and the hispanic community. Her home was always open to the homeless. There was always a place around her table for one more. She was famous for her delicious Cuban cooking. ‡ Elvira & Roberto moved to Florida when they retired, to escape the cold, and enjoy the tropical fruits they both loved. They returned to Maryland to be with their children, after Roberto suffered a major heart attack. A few years after their move to Maryland, Elvira was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and her health deteriorated. On September 8, 2015, surrounded by her family, and with her daughters by her side singing one of her favorite hymns, she closed her eyes and went to sleep in Jesus. Elvira is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Roberto; her daughter, Lydia Nogales; her brothers Martin, Jesus, Valerio, John, and Carlos; her sister Maria; her granddaughter, Mary Cabrera. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Robert (Carolyn Scearce) Cabrera, Becky (Donald) Feltman, and Mary (Larry) Rumford; her 10 grandchildren and their spouses, Amy (Jason) Umfress, Sandy Painter-Cabrera, Evie (Nathan) Baker, Wendy (Brenden) Nogales, Mario Nogales, Jr., Ryan Feltman, Justin Feltman, Missy (David) Kuehnert, and Jessica (Michael) Strom; 10 great grandchildren, Terry, Sarah, Shannon, Jason Jr., Evan, Juan, Kiernan, Megan, Shawn and Katie; and two siblings and their spouses, Marcela (Adolfo) Suris, and Alberto (Isabel) Capote.