GLORIA MARIA CABASSA

CABASSA, GLORIA MARIA, 73, died May 11, 2011, in Tampa, Florida. She was born February 3, 1938, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and grew up in Miami, Florida, where she loved to sail and spend time on Biscayne Bay. Gloria attended the Miss Harris School in Miami, Florida. She graduated from H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College (now known as Tulane University) in New Orleans, Louisiana. She obtained her Masters Degree in Art History from the University of Miami. Gloria worked in museums, including Vizcaya, and taught art history to college students. She spoke multiple languages, including English, Spanish and Portuguese. Gloria's interests included travelling and spending time with her family and friends, including her pets. As noted in her high school yearbook, she was "born with the gift of laughter." She was a kind, caring, and gentle person with a heart of gold, who always placed others ahead of herself. Gloria is survived by her sister, Isabel Anne Watson, and brothers, Luis J. Cabassa and Paul Lawrence "Larry" Cabassa; her son Luis A. "Tony" Cabassa and his spouse, Angela, and two grandsons, Carter and Tyler Cabassa. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jacobo L. and Josephine Cabassa, stepmother, Isabel F. Wands, and siblings Roberto E. Cabassa, Josephine Cabrera, and Jacobo L. Cabassa. A private service will be held at sea off of the Florida Keys, one of her favorite places. Donations may be sent to Suncoast Hospice or your local Humane Society. View this Guest Book at www. MiamiHerald.com/obituaries.