Obituary
Raul Alvarez and Ana Maria Alvarez
Raul Alvarez, 90, of Key Biscayne, Florida, passed away peacefully on April 30, 2020 in Orlando, Florida following a brief illness. Ana Maria (Bannatyne) Alvarez, 87, of Key Biscayne, Florida, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2020, in Orlando, Florida following a long illness. They were lovingly married for 61 years.
Raul was born February 11, 1930 in Havana, Cuba to the late Jose and Maria Luisa Alvarez. Raul grew up in Havana, Cuba and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY with a Bachelor’s in Architecture and completed his Master’s in Architecture at the University of Havana. As a young architect in Cuba he was awarded a Gold Medal by the Institute of Architects for his work on the House of Alfred Schulthess (1956). He married Ana Maria Bannatyne in 1960. After emigrating to the US in 1960, he worked for Welton, Beckett & Assoc. in Houston. In 1971 he settled with his family in Key Biscayne, Florida and founded Environmental Design Consultants. At age 68 he completed his Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Florida International University. Raul enjoyed a long successful career as an architect with a focus later in his life on landscape architecture. He leaves behind his brother Jose Alvarez of Coral Gables, Florida.
Ana Maria was born in Havana, Cuba on September 4, 1932 to the late Manuel and Ana Maria Bannatyne. She earned her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Philosophy at the University Havana. After marrying Raul and emigrating to the US in 1960, she settled in Key Biscayne, Florida to raise her three sons. Ana cofounded Environmental Design Consultants with Raul working as an interior designer. She was an expert in modern Cuban art and a patron to many Cuban artists. Ana was a devoted member of St. Agnes Church where she was a eucharistic minister and taught CCD and bible study. She was predeceased by her brother Manuel Bannatyne of Houston, Texas.
Raul and Ana were the loving devoted parents to Alejandro and Linda (Habel) of Scituate, Mass., Marcos and Eleanor (Comegys) of West Hollywood, Calif., and Leonardo and Sarah (Farmer) of Oviedo, Florida. Loving grandparents to Octavia, Nicolas, Tessa, Benjamin and Conner. They also leave behind many nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass at St. Agnes Church and celebration of their lives will take place at a later date in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Donations in their memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org or the Leukemia Research Foundation at www.allbloodcancers.org.
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