Hilario F. Candela

1934 - 2022

Hilario F. Candela
June 4, 1934 - January 18, 2022
Coral Gables, Florida - Born in Havana, Cuba to Hilario R. Candela and Carmen Roig Candela, he studied Architecture at Georgia Tech in the 1950's. He later returned to Havana in 1959 to work as a young architect until forced to leave his beloved homeland in 1960 whereupon he began a new life in Miami, Florida. In just a few months, he joined the 11-person pioneering architectural firm of Pancoast, Ferendino, Skeels & Burnham. The following year, he was named the architect for Miami Dade Community College, which won him his first in a lengthy career of awards and accolades. He then designed the Miami Marine Stadium at just 28 years of age in 1962, renowned globally for its ground-breaking design. The stadium has since been named one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. At a New Year's Eve party at the top of the Everglades Hotel later that year, he met Eva Hernadez, who was not his date but who captivated his attention and romantic inspiration. After impressing her with his skills on the dance floor, they began to date and later married in August 1963. She was the "Lucy" to his "Ricky Ricardo," while their love and adoration endured for the next 58 years. His work over the next several decades extended well beyond Miami, reaching throughout the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America. Along the way, he and Peter Spillis acquired the shares of the firm's founding partners, eventually changing the name to Spillis Candela & Partners, growing it to nearly 300 architects, engineers, interior designers, and planners by the time of its sale years later. Given his outstanding contributions to the field of architecture, he was named a Fellow to the American Institute of Architects. While Cuba was always in his heart, his focus and commitment was to Miami and to the country at large, as he understood and was always respectful of the incredible and unique opportunity his adopted homeland afforded him. A proud citizen of the United States, it was one of his greatest sources of pride to be named the first Hispanic member to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Despite all his extraordinary professional accomplishments and civic engagement, his family was his greatest achievement. All who met him knew that he was married for more than 50 years to the love of his life, and that together they had four children and fifteen grandchildren, as he would boast of this more than anything else. He is survived by his wife Eva, his children Cecilia (Eduardo), Maurice (Jacquelin), Mark (Anna) and Hilary (Ingrid), fifteen grandchildren, his brother Andres (Teresita), and his many, many other family and friends who loved and adored him. The family will hold a funeral service at Epiphany Catholic Church, located at 8235 SW 57th Ave, Miami, FL 33143 on Wednesday, January 26 at 10 a.m. ET. Donations in his honor may be made to Epiphany Catholic Church.