Teresa Alvarez Rionda

RIONDA de ALVAREZ TERESA. Born in Havana, Cuba on July 3, 1915, Teresa spent her childhood between Havana and Alpine, NJ. Daughter of Jose Bernardo Rionda, Proprietor of the New Tuinucu Sugar Company, and Mercedes Perez Chaumount, both of Cuba. Her grandfather was Francisco Rionda, founder of Czarnikow Rionda, the first sugar brokerage house on Wall Street. Teresita attended 91st Street in Manhattan, and graduated from Eden Hall Convent of the Sacred Heart in Philadelphia, PA. She also attended Universidad de Villanueva in Havana, Cuba. She had a passion for horses, and as a member of the Cuban Equestrian Team, competed in New York's Madison Square Garden. She moved to Miami in 1961 with her husband, Jose Manuel Alvarez, and her five children. As she rebuilt her live in Miami, she found new passions to keep her busy -- she became a successful Miami Real Estate Broker, and received an Emeritus Docent designation at the Miami Center for Fine Arts. Teresita also spent the last 40 years mastering her bridge game, and engaged this passion weekly through the end of her life. She is survived by her five children, Mercedes Alvarez Rionda, Teresita (Maurits) De Blank, Elena (Benjamin Jr.) Sadler, Annie Diaz de Villegas, and Jose Alvarez. She was blessed with eight grandchildren, Benjamin (Jessica) Sadler III, Anouk (Marc) Halpern, Elena (Rene) Orovio, Sabrina and Elena De Blank, and Rene, Andres and Victoria Diaz de Villegas. She was also a great-grandmother to Benjamin and Natalie Sadler and Ava Halpern. Teresita will always be remembered for her elegance, tenacity, eloquence and strong will. She will be deeply missed by the many people whose lives she touched. Viewing from 6-10 PM on Tuesday, September 9th at Caballero Rivero Funeral Home, 3344 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL. Funeral Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 7377 SW 64th Street, Miami, FL Wednesday, September 10th at Noon./ To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.MiamiHerald.com/obituaries.