JOSE LUIS PUJOL's Obituary
PUJOL,
JOSE LUIS, age 85 –
May 28, 1931 - March 15, 2017
Our dad was born & raised in Cuba. At age 23, he was elected the youngest ever Congressman in Cuban history, youngest Acting Sectary of Congress & Pres. of Transportation Committee. And at age 26, in ’57 he became ambassador to Columbia. When he left Cuba on January 1st, 1959 he had a diplomatic passport, a few weeks later his wife Rosita, age 22, and 2 yr old Lili Pujol & 3 yr old Rose Pujol Palacios joined him in Miami. Dad never felt he was above any honest job and proudly took on menial jobs and made many personal sacrifices to raise us - Mari Pujol & Joe Pujol were born here in 1960 & 1967. A sales position at a ZAYRE chain Dept store eventually got him into management position. While having us in Catholic schools, our parents managed to save enough to open their own retail art gallery and store, PHOTO ART CENTER - and had five (5) locations for 17 yrs. In ‘87, Dad became a Mortgage Broker and later opened USA MORTGAGE BANKERS, and became a lender producing over $100 million annually. During the almost 60-year span he lived in the US, Dad never lost his vocation for public service and besides always participating in various Cuban civic organizations; he was a lector and Catechism teacher at his parish. Somehow, he managed to make us feel we were the most important part of his life, and always had time to hear about our lives and brought a wonderful sense of humor to the most difficult of moments. Dad, we’ll never forget how you faced your biggest challenge, metastasized bone cancer with such courage and dignity – we only wish that we could’ve been there for you so much sooner. He’s survived by the love of his life, our mom Rosa Blanca, his wife of almost 65 yrs, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Te quieremos hasta la eternidad Papi. Visitation 7 - 9 pm Tuesday at VAN ORSDEL CORAL GABLES CHAPEL. Funeral Mass 10:30 am Wednesday at the Church of the Little Flower. Burial Flagler Memorial Park.
What’s your fondest memory of JOSE?
What’s a lesson you learned from JOSE?
Share a story where JOSE's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with JOSE you’ll never forget.
How did JOSE make you smile?
