MIGUEL J. DIAZ

DIAZ, MIGUEL J.
Born in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain June 19, 1934. Soon after, his mother Estela got a job as the teacher of a one room school house on the rocky, steep hills of Taganana, Tenerife. Devoid of daycare, he learned to read at an extremely early age sitting by his mom's school room desk. His appetite for devouring books remained his biggest passion.
By the time he was 8 years old the family moved to La Orotava in the hills of his beloved Teide. There, he earned the named of Miguel de Taganana.
At age 16 he would seek opportunity in the new promising horizons of Venezuela. In the early years there, he worked as a mechanic and driver. He would also sell salt and coffee at city markets while going door to door with other plans to make ends meet. He eventually landed a field maintenance job with Burroughs Machine Company. Our mother Maria Teresa caught his eye while working at a client's accountant office and they were wed in 1958.
Shell Oil offered him a coveted sales entry position where, within a year, his sales skills in the Andes mountains didn't go unnoticed and pretty soon he was on his way to London for further training. When back in Venezuela he was the youngest Sales Manager for Shell Oil at age of 25. While in the capital city of Caracas he was coveted by many companies and ended up being Vice-President to Branca Oil, Litrografia del Comercio, and Yamaha.
He ventured out on his own starting the first Latin-Pack Expo in 1975 and Editorial Tucán, that published Envases y Embalajes magazine dedicated to the packaging industry. In 1980, he moved his family away from Venezuela, ahead of its oncoming economic demise. Gainesville was his pick as the new fertile grounds for his Diaz family.
In Gainesville, he developed Royal Gardens and Jockey Club subdivisions. He also started Dibros Corporation, Big Trees Plantation Nursery in Jonesville. With the help of his Spanish partners and his son Luis, he co-founded and started the Town of Tioga, Tioga Realty, and Jonesville Plaza.
He passed peacefully on September 7 at his home in Jonesville.
He is survived by his wife Maria Teresa and his sons Franklin (Pamela), Miguel Alberto, Luis, Luis Miguel (Angeles), Alberto (Sherilee) and daughter Ane (Mark Peterson).
He was also survived by 10 grandchildren and 2 grea grandchildren in the United States, Spain, and England.
We are but sawdust of your large tree.
A Celebration of Life will be held 3:00-6:00PM Sunday October 1st at Town of Tioga's Meeting Hall - 205 SW 131st Street, Tioga, FL 32669-3052.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that a donation be made to Haven Hospice.