Maria Isabel Garcia Minier, born on October 13, 1950, in the town of Guayos, Cuba, peacefully passed away on December 12th, 2023. She was a woman of remarkable strength, laughter, and love.
In 1962, during Operation Peter Pan, Maria left her homeland and relocated to Tarrytown, New York. She later moved to Orlando, Florida where she spent the rest of her life. Maria dedicated 20 years of her life as a teachers’ aide for Orange County Schools and retired in 2018.
Maria is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ralph D. Minier. She is survived by her loving children, daughter Maria Vazquez and son-in-law Jorge Vazquez, as well as her grandson David, her son Daniel, daughter-in-law Christina Minier, and granddaughters Olivia and Anna Minier. She is also survived by her always beloved stepdaughters Brigette Zimmerman and Annabelle Minier, and grandchildren Kayleigh and Chance Zimmerman, and Laura Sarmento.
Maria’s heart knew no bounds when it came to feeding her large family. Her culinary skills brought everyone together and was a testament of her love for them all. She was famous for her love of a spicy margarita or glass of chardonnay. An avid reader, Maria found solace and joy in the world of books, and relished capturing special moments through photos, reliving every special memory.
Services to celebrate Maria’s life will be held on Wednesday, December 20, at St. James Cathedral, located at 215 N. Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 at 2pm. Friends and family are welcome to send flowers to St. James on Wednesday morning, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Following the service, Maria will find her final resting place at Chapel Hill Cemetery, located at 2420 Harrell Rd, Orlando, FL 32817. The family invites all who knew and loved Maria to join them in