Maria Matilde Sorzano de Menocal November 26, 1934 - March 24, 2024
Miami, Florida - Maria Matilde Sorzano de Menocal (Piki) passed away peacefully at her home in South Florida, on Sunday March 24th,2024, from a brief and courageous battle with cancer. She was 89 years old.
She was surrounded by her family. Her husband of 67 years Jorge Menocal (Polo), her sons Jorge Menocal Jr., Julio Jose Menocal and her grandson Andres Menocal. Ana Maria Menocal (Ani) and Michelle Restani (Michy) were close by.
She is preceded in death by her Father Jose Silverio Sorzano y de Cardenas and her mother Matilde Sanchez Montulieu de Sorzano.
She is survived by 3 children: Jorge Menocal Jr., Julio Jose Menocal MD & Maria Matilde Shivers. Jorge and Ani Menocal were blessed with a son Jorge Fernando Menocal who married Victoria Menocal and has a beautiful daughter Sofia. Julio Jose Menocal, his son Andres Menocal and his daughter Natalia Menocal. Maria Matilde Shivers with two daughters, Alexandra Ottoson, her husband Zach and their two children Lucia and Hugo. Anna Cristina Samlik and her husband Krystian and their daughter Aleksandra.
The siblings will forever be grateful to our brother Jorge for the comfort and companionship he afforded our Mother in this difficult transition as well as the closeness of her 25 plus years of living in South Florida.
Piki was a leader of our family and the unwavering light of our Post Cuban Exile. She was strong and had solid religious beliefs that helped support her in the many years she led us through the difficult waters of post-revolutionary Cuba. Her and her whole family are Naturalized American Citizens. She was a registered and proud Republican, stating her biggest regret would be not to vote in the general election. We are sure she will monitor the results from her perch in heaven.
Piki was also a fierce competitor. Her elected sport was swimming in which she excelled in the Caribbean and Central American championships of the mid 1940’s, winning various gold medals. Her last competition was but a few years ago, which she proudly won as well.
She also studied Law at Villanova University of Cuba. A degree which was truncated by the Cuban Revolution. She later returned to school in Delaware and became a Paralegal.
Piki followed our father Polo first from Cuba to Washington DC. From there the family migrated to Mexico and eventually settled in Bogota, Colombia. Joining the Cuban Diaspora that enriched so many lands and peoples, she always kept in touch with her Classmates of Colegio Sagrado Corazon as she raised her brood in the shadow of the Andes Mater Admirabilis.
Piki has left many friends. She was respected and admired by her family. She made the difficult decision to take her family from Cuba before the abominable Communist regime took over the legal tenancy of her children. In a fierce 3 minutes at the terminal of n Havana’s Rancho Boyero Airfield, she made a bold decision that shaped her life and the lives of all who got to know her, especially her children.
A very elegant lady, she had the most simple yet precious events in any of the houses she lived in. She died in the house our father Polo had built for her in Miami. Her class and distinction were innate and she would relive her younger years at the Havana Yacht Club every time she had one of her memorable gatherings.
She will be grieved intensely.
Funeral services to be conducted Friday April 19th at 9:30 am prompt , Caballero Woodlawn South 11655 SW 117th Ave, Miami, FL 33186, Phone: (305) 2383672.