Magali "Maggie" Riquelme Grimany

In loving memory of our dear Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Aunt and Friend

Magali was born in 1932 in Guantanamo, Cuba to Alberto Riquelme and Rosario Rodriguez. She had three older siblings: Delia, Calá and Gabriel. To pursue her higher education, she left Cuba to attend Wells College in Aurora, New York. Magali graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry in May of 1954. She was honored to be invited to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society because of her outstanding academic achievements.

In 1954, she married her high school sweetheart, René Grimany. The couple moved to Baltimore, Maryland where Magali accepted a scholarship from Johns Hopkins University. She had to put her master’s degree on hold in preparation for their arrival of their first son, René Alberto (Renecito), who was born the following year. They moved back to Cuba where their daughters Magali Marina (Lulú) and Isabel María (Chabela) were born soon after.

René worked for Black & Decker in Havana. His job transferred the family to Puerto Rico right after the Cuban Revolution in 1959, just before restrictions were imposed on leaving the island. Magali and René felt very blessed for being spared from the hardships that Castro’s regime imposed to the people of the island. Magali completed her Master’s in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico. She worked there as a Professor and also as Dean of the Physical Sciences Department in the College of General Studies. Magali was an avid reader and loved learning.

The Grimany family was transferred to Mexico City in 1975. In 1978 they returned to Puerto Rico. Magali and René then moved to Miami, Florida in 1990. In 2014 they moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia. One of the things they were known for was their love for traveling. Some of their fabulous travels included The Great Wall of China, Machu Pichu, Thailand, Turkey, and many other beautiful places around the world. Their daughter and grandchildren have beautiful memories of going on several adventures with them.

Magali was pre-deceased by the love of her life, her husband René, by her daughter Isabel María and her son René Alberto. She leaves behind her daughter Magali Marina. She will also be dearly missed by her grandsons Guillermo René, Alberto Alexander, and Omar René. Her grandsons called her “Abuela”. She very briefly met her young great-grandsons Jackson Reed and Aiden Kal-El.

While we will all miss Magali, she will always be remembered as the most devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her whole life revolved around her husband, children, and grandchildren. She was a great example of a dedicated and hard-working person. She made an impact on everyone that met her, she was always very gracious and friendly.

Magali was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in December 2018. She loved reading the Bible and learning of Jehovah’s promise of restoring the Earth and resurrecting her dead loved ones to a Paradise here on earth. We look forward to the day when we will see her again in that Paradise.