MIAMI – "My dad was and will always be the wind beneath my wings. His passing leaves in us a loss that is eternal and deep. ‘Abu Kiki' as we lovingly called him was the center, the foundation of us all, and the one person who kept us grounded and confident in the path our lives had taken. If there is one comfort we feel during this time of unequaled sorrow is that we are confident that my dad is once again reunited with his beloved and cherished soul mate, Amanda Ros.
Today I can look at my life and the lives of my brother Henry and my dad's adult grandchildren with joy and fulfillment. And I can do that because Abu Kiki worked hard to instill in us ageless ideals of fairness and doing always what was right.
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My dad was a prolific writer and well known historian, he was working on his 20th book, a biography of Antonio Maceo, when he died of respiratory complications at South Miami Hospital late Wednesday night. He authored 19 other books on Cuban history and local politics that are an important source of information for other historians, academics and scholars. All who shared my father's life knew that he was happiest when he was busy doing research and writing his books. His beloved library was a meeting ground for our family and he kept a detailed log of all the articles and pictures that told the story of my family's life and of his cherished books.
For 65 years, Enrique and Amanda Ros, shared a wonderful life together and they did it by way of love and hard work. They raised two children who have families of their own, founded and expanded a successful family business for over 30 years (Ros-Forwarding), and labored both as one in noble endeavors to re-establish democracy to our beloved Cuba. They were in love and it showed through their actions.
In the name of all of us in the Ros and Lehtinen families we would like to ask his friends and everyone else to not be despondent but rather to come together and celebrate his long and fulfilled life. That is what my dad would have wanted. I know my brother and I shall terribly miss him, but we know that this is not a goodbye but rather a time apart before we are reunited once again next to our creator."
The funeral and wake will be held this Friday, April 12th from 6:00 pm to 10:00pm at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn, (8200 SW 40 Street, "Bird Road", Miami). The funeral mass will be held this Saturday, April 13 at Saint Agatha Catholic Church at 11:00 am (111 SW 107 Avenue, Miami). The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to:
Alzheimer's Association
Southeast Florida Chapter
P.O. Box 22594
West Palm Beach, Florida 33416
Donations should be in the name of Enrique Ros and can be mailed to the address above or by visiting the Association's website at: www.alz.org/sefl