Cecilia Blake

Cecilia Michaels-Blake (Tia), age 91, of Royal Palm Beach, Florida, passed away on August 17, 2012. She was the daughter of Daniel Antonio Michaels and Maria Luisa Mayorga, and sister to Bertha Michaels-Clarke, Beatriz Mayorga-Contreras and Luis Alfonso Michaels. Tia Cecilia was born on December 19, 1920 in Bogota, Republic of Colombia during the era of the Great Depression, a period filled with worldwide economic distress and hardship. She was not born into a wealthy household but her childhood was rich with love and family. As the oldest child in her family, many responsibilities fell on her shoulders. From a young age Tia Cecilia worked to help her single mother economically, attended school and helped care for her younger siblings. Even in her teens Tia Cecilia took pride in her appearance and in the way she carried herself always keeping with the latest trends and fashion. While she never had any children of her own, Tia Cecilia helped raise some of her nephews and nieces as if they were her own. In her mid-thirties, Tia Cecilia and her sister Bertha immigrated to the United States with hopes of a better life and more opportunities. In 1959 they arrived in New York City where Tia Cecilia soon met a young suitor by the name of Richard Blake. After one winter in NYC the sisters decided to escape the cold weather of the north and move to sunny Florida. It was no surprise that Richard soon followed her to Florida with a friend named John Clarke. Eventually Cecilia and Richard became engaged. As fate would have it, on the same day in 1960, Cecilia married Richard and Bertha married John Clarke. Tia Cecilia started working as an administrative assistant for the Archdiocese of Miami where she met many of her close friends. She divorced Richard Blake in 1981 and in 1990 she retired from the Archdiocese. Cecilia spent several years taking care of her recently widowed sister Bertha, who was beginning to suffer from Alzheimer's disease. She loved her sister very much and cared for her as best as she could, nonetheless the Alzheimer's became too severe, under the circumstances Tia Bertha was put under the care of her nephew, John Michaels, whom Bertha had raised as a child. Tia Cecilia was a devout Catholic and a devotee of the Virgin of Guadalupe. She enjoyed reading magazines and cookbooks, taking care of her plants, and watching her Spanish soap operas; but what she cherished the most was the time she spent with family. Tia Cecilia was very proud to become a Naturalized US Citizen. Tia Cecilia continued to live by herself in Miami until October of 2005 when hurricane Wilma destroyed her home. At that time she agreed to move to Royal Palm Beach to be near her youngest nephew Frank Michaels and his family. In 2010, when she could no longer live by herself, Frank, Mary and their kids welcomed her into their home and provided constant loving care. Until the end, Tia Cecilia lived in their home surrounded by family members. We celebrate her life and the soul that touched us through her love for others and the positive influence she had in all of our lives. Tia Cecilia is survived by her brother Luis A. Michaels, countless nephews and nieces, great nephews and nieces, and many friends. Tia Cecilia's wake and memorial service will be held at: Palms West Funeral Home, 110 Business Park Way, Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 on Tuesday, August 21st from 5:00-9:00 PM. The Catholic Memorial Service will be from 7:00-8:00 PM. She will be buried at Our Lady Queen of Peace Cemetery, 10941 Southern Blvd, Royal Palm Beach, FL on Wednesday, August 22nd at 3:30 p.m.