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Robert (Roberto) De Varona
1942 - 2016
BORN
1942
DIED
2016
FUNERAL HOME
Robert (Roberto) De Varona Obituary
Robert (Roberto) de Varona died Tuesday, October 11, surrounded by family at his home in Gulf Breeze.
Robert was born in Cuba in 1942 into a politically active family. After leaving Cuba at the age of 17 in 1960, he answered a call to join an operation to overthrow Fidel Castro. When the Bay of Pigs invasion failed, he was captured and imprisoned, along with his father, for nearly two years in Castro's Cuba.
Stripped of their Cuban citizenship, Varona and his fellow captives were released to the United States in 1962, given $100 and a set of clothes and sent off to seek their fortune.
"Mr. D", as he was affectionately known to his employees, opened his first airport concession, the first minority-owned airport concession in the nation, in 1972 at Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado. In addition, he had airport concessions in Dallas/Ft. Worth, St. Louis, Orlando and Pensacola. He began operating the gift and news concessions at Pensacola Airport in 1990 and ran the airport food and beverage concessions from 1995-2014.
Always community minded, Robert served on the boards of several regional organizations, including Pensacola Symphony, Five Flags Rotary and Pensacola Junior College Foundation. In June 2007 he was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Five Flags Rotary, one of the highest awards bestowed by Rotary Clubs. He was a knight of the Court of De Luna 2006 in the Fiesta of Five Flags celebration.
In 2004 Varona Enterprises was nominated for a philanthropy award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Robert was twice nominated for the Ethics in Business Award by the Combined Rotary Clubs of Pensacola. He served on the board of the Pensacola State College Foundation and was a member of the Voices of Pensacola Inaugural Advisory Committee.
Robert was an active supporter of many regional not-for-profit organizations, including Tri Gulf Coast, Santa Rosa Island Triathlon, the Pensacola Humane Society, Artel Gallery, Leaning Post Ranch, Pensacola Symphony, Pensacola Opera, Ronald McDonald House, and WUWF Public Radio.
In 2014 he became a tutor and mentor at Global Learning Academy, where he spearheaded efforts to get their greenhouse garden operational and added to the curriculum, and organized a summer math camp. He was passionately interested in national and local educational issues for a number of years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Roberto Ernesto and Delia Villar de Varona.
Robert is survived by his wife, Eloise; his daughters, Christina and Natasha de Varona; five grandchildren, Zoe, Joe and Lucy Girkin; Liam and Aidan O'Malley, all of Denver; his step-daughter, Claire Lautier (Geraint Wyn Davies), Stratford, Ontario; his step-son, Erik Lautier (Elena); two step-grandchildren, Mila and Dorian Lautier, all of Houston; a sister, Delia Garcia of Miami; and a brother, Manuel, of Jaco, Costa Rica; and by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Pensacola Humane Society, 5 North Q Street, Pensacola, FL 32505, http://www.pensacolahumane.org; Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County, 3300 North Pace Blvd., Suite 210, Pensacola 32502, http://www.elcescambia.org/; or Emerald Coast Hospice, Pensacola.
Special thanks to Dr. Thomas Sunnenberg and the staff of Sacred Heart Oncology Center and to Mendi McCormick and Myka Miles of Emerald Coast Hospice.
A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, October 17, at 3 pm at Sanders Beach Community Center, 913 South I Street, Pensacola 32502.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert (Roberto) De Varona
Margarita Abel
October 6, 2025
Rest in Peace my dear friend, many good memories.
Margarita Abel
October 15, 2024
In loving memory of a wonderful person. We will love you and miss you always.
EVA and GEORGE BERGERAC
October 6, 2024
Siempre recordandote querido amigo a los 8 anos de tu partida.
George and Eva Bergerac
October 6, 2023
Even though 7 years have passed, we always remember you and very often speak of our many fun times spent together! You will live in the hearts of those who loved and admired you! ♥♥ Eva and George Bergerac
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Margarita I Abel
October 7, 2021
In the lovinf memory of a wonderful son brother and father. We will miss you.
David and Rebecca Schmidt
October 31, 2016
Sorry to learn of your husband's death, may peace be with you✝
Nancy Colon
October 26, 2016
We celebrate a life well lived and a happy and loving spirit who will be missed.
With sympathy,
Nancy Colon Sharifi
Summer DeMilly-Machado
October 18, 2016
Robert was a kind and gentle man. God Bless his wonderful family and friends.
Teresa Wiseman
October 18, 2016
My deepest sympathy to the DeVarona family. Robert was the same sweet, cheerful person every time I saw him. Never in a hurry, always with a kind word. I am terribly sorry for your loss
Maggy Abel
October 17, 2016
I have this feeling there's one more star up in the sky tonight, and even though it's far away, it's brightness and warmth still reach up here to make the night a little less dark. Whith my deepest sympathy.
John Nolan
October 17, 2016
My sincere condolences on the passing of a man I did not know well but wish I had. His kind, gentle demeanor was always a pleasant addition to our day. Pensacola has lost a great asset and he will be sorely missed.
Patti Maxwell & Doug Bruce
October 17, 2016
Our deepest condolences to the entire
DeVarona family. We had our wedding at Varona's in 2009. Robert went out of his way to make sure everything was perfect and all of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever attended. He was also a fan of our hot pepper jelly and would come down to the Palafox Market to buy it by the case every fall. Robert was such an elegant man with a great sense of community mindedness. We'll miss seeing his smiling face everywhere in Pensacola. We hope you are all comforted by the knowledge that Robert touched so many lives.
Lou Ray
October 17, 2016
Eloise and Family,
Many more of us will miss Roberto's cheerful, eyes-wide-open smile and great, good spirit! May he rest in peace.
Lou Ray, Pensacola
Hope Mastroianni
October 16, 2016
It broke my heart to hear of his passing. In my entire life he was one of the most impressive men that I came to know. Not very many can fill those shoes or will every be able to . He will be missed dearly His smile could brighten your day.
I will always remember that smile.
Pat Collins Warren
October 16, 2016
Dear, Eloise. What a spectacular legacy your precious husband left to his family, his country and his immediate Pensacola community. You have my deepest sympathy for your loss and prayers for you and your family. I think of you so often and always with a smile. May God bless you and yours.
Pat Collins Warren
Sandy Moore Mannix
October 16, 2016
Dear Eloise,
I was so sorry to hear of your husband's death. What an interesting and charming man! I particularly enjoyed speaking with him about programs to help young people without many opportunities. His passion for helping others was obvious. I know he will be much missed. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.
Much love,
Sandy
Elizabeth Guider
October 16, 2016
With deepest sympathy to Eloise and the extended De Varona family.
Henry and Ann Blair Stovall
October 16, 2016
We are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Robert made the world a better place. We're inspired by his life of giving and service.
Rachel Kelley
October 16, 2016
Mr De Varona was a blessing to Global Learning Academy and the students he mentored. It was a honor to know him. Prayers to his family.
Sylvia Munero (Upmann)
October 15, 2016
To all of Robert's family,
Robert's Mom was the sister of my step mother. In 1951 or 52 his family stayed at our house in Havana for a while. I fell in love with him and his family as if they were my own. After those years I got to see him a few times. After Castro, we all went our different ways. We ended up living in Maryland, just outside Washington DC. He came to visit us once in 1973 or 74 and stayed for the weekend. We enjoyed just seeing him and talking to him so much....He gave us a house plant as a gift that through the years has flourished and is still growing. I feel great sorrow for all of you who are missing him so much. But I must tell all of you, that after reading what everyone has written about him, I feel a huge loss for not having had the opportunity to be closer to him and really know this very special man that Robert became. The memories that I have of him will always be close to my heart. Hope his memories will help all of you through these painful days and throughout your lives. Just think that he is free of pain now.
Sylvia and Frank Munero
October 15, 2016
Nuestros pensamientos, carino y oraciones estan siempre con ustedes. Sin duda alguna Robert fue un digno miembro de vuestra maravillosa familia. Que Dios lo tenga en su gloria. Con el carino de siempre, Rodolfo y Eyra Quintana
Maria and David Chavez
October 15, 2016
Our sincere condolences to the family for the loss of this great man. He will be dearly remember as an honorable Cuban that made us proud of his legacy.
Yolanda Cuesta
October 15, 2016
"Cuando un amigo se va queda un espacio vacío que no lo puede llenar la llegada de otro amigo " -
Alberto Cortez -
-tu prima, Yolanda Elena Cuesta.
Conchita & Orestes Mesa
October 15, 2016
Our most sincere sympathies to the family. A life well lived, may his memory live in all who knew him. RIP
sue massey
October 15, 2016
I'm so sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in prayer, knowing that God loves and cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:7).
Sincerely,
Sue
Lt Col Michael H. Sarra
October 15, 2016
So sorry for the loss of Robert. He was a wonderful man and great Rotarian. May God bless you during this most difficult time.
Terry Covington
October 14, 2016
Eloise, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I know there are no words that will comfort you but my thoughts are with you.
Victoria Mann
October 14, 2016
So sorry for the loss of your loved one. Looks like this wonderful man lived life to its fullest by helping others and succeeding at every thing he started out to do.
October 14, 2016
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Edwin Howard
October 14, 2016
I met Mr. de Varona at a Tiger Bay event and asked him to address the club about our relationship with Cuba. Mr. de Varona was the kind of person the world needs. He was an extraordinary man who had class, courage and commitment to his community and his ideals. I am grateful for the time I spent with him. He leaves a legacy and example that will inspire others. May God bless his family and the many people whose lives he touched.
October 13, 2016
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
October 13, 2016
I'll miss trading cigars with my friend Robert at the golf course. What a nice person.
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Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel - Pensacola2276 Airport Blvd., Pensacola, FL 32504