Novelia Mederos Hernandez Rubio
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departed this earth for her heavenly home late Friday night, July 1st, 2022. Novelia was born to Hilario Mederos Mederos and Dolores Hernandez Sanchez on December 18th 1928 in San Miguel del Padron, just outside Havana Cuba. She married her first love Eladio Gerardo (Gera) Rubio in March of 1951. Soon afterwards they welcomed their first child Gerard, and five years later, their second son Eduardo. In 1957 they migrated to West Tampa, Florida and their family grew with the addition of their daughter Ileana and then their youngest son, George. Being mom, grandmother and great grandmother was her career of choice and she excelled at it. Quick to give you her unsolicited opinion, you learned you'd be better served to just smile and agree because you were not going to change her mind. The quintessential housewife/mom she was always the strength behind the scenes in terms of supporting all her children's sports activities as well as any musical or performing arts they would be involved in. Once the kids were all grown up, Novelia and Gera moved full time into their beautiful beach home where the family had spent many memorable vacations over the years. After living in Madeira Beach for about 20+ years, and shortly after Gera's passing in 2005, she returned home to West Tampa. Friend and confidant to many, she would immediately light up a room with her genuine smile the instant she entered, and had a great sense of humor. Her dear, life-long friends, most of them dancing with her now in heaven, were more like sisters and you could feel it when in their presence. She enjoyed spending time watching her novellas (soap operas) and anything on her favorite Spanish variety and talk shows, but her joy was being surrounded by and immersed in her family. She was an excellent cook and loved doing word search games to keep her brain sharp. Novelia is predeceased by her beloved husband Eladio, her father Hilario, mother Dolores, brothers Pepe, Danilo, Pancho and sister Pucha. She's survived by her children: Gerard (wife Rhonda) in Blairsville, Georgia, Ed (wife Caryn) in Jupiter, Florida, Ileana and George (wife Heidi) in Tampa. Grandchildren: Anthony, Amy, Jonathan, Christopher, Nina, Lauren and Lorenzo. Great Grandchildren: Zach, Katie and Lizzie.