Maria Estela Asion

1928 - 2025

Maria Estela Asion passed away on November 8 at 9 p.m., surrounded by her family. She was born in Cuba on May 25, 1928, one of seven children of Luisa and Antero Fonticiella. Her blond hair and piercing green eyes were the stuff of legends, as was her tough, unapologetic exterior.

At a time when it was not common for women to have careers, Estela graduated from college and went into banking. She was working at a bank during Castro's revolution, converting currency, when she realized it was time to leave Cuba while they still could. That decision was far from easy; she had to leave her children behind with the hope of bringing them to the United States once she was established and she did, a year later. She never complained about a difficult life; she just lived it.

Her career resilience continued in the United States, eventually leading her to own Airways Auto Tag with her daughter, the very tag agency where she had first worked decades earlier.

Estela lived for her grandchildren, who affectionately called her "Abue." To many others, she was also known as "Gallega" for her Spanish ancestry and her love of occasionally flaunting a thick Spanish accent. It was impossible to know Estela and not know about her grandchildren. But she was far from the typical grandmother. She traveled the world, whether with friends or alone. Nothing could hold her back. She did not bake cookies with her grandchildren, instead she took them cruising down Coconut Grove in her convertible BMW with the top down, making memories that were loud, bold, and unmistakably Estela.

Her life included a fervent love of sports. On the radio, on TV, in Spanish or English, there was always sports. She was funny, brash, bold, and unapologetically herself. If she broke stereotypes, it was entirely by accident; she probably never knew they existed.

Estela leaves a huge hole in the family as a force of nature. She is survived by her children Ileana and Orlando Martinez de Castro and Antonio and Debbie Asion, her stepson Julian Asion, whom she helped raise, her grandchildren Christopher, Christine, and Orlando Martinez de Castro, Denique Asion, Michelle Zeevering, and Stephanie Boomershine, and thirteen greatgrandchildren.

Abue lived life on her terms, made sure everyone around her felt it, and left a legacy that will be remembered with laughter, admiration, and a little bit of awe.