Maria Ethel Vilallonga Fye's Obituary
Maria Ethel "Tila" Forgas Vilallonga Fye, 87, of Gainesville, peacefully joined her family and friends with God, on October 19, 2017 at Haven Hospice. She was born on January 24, 1930 in Mendoza, Argentina, to Joaquin Forgas and Alida Sanchez Reulet. It was in Mendoza where she met and married her first husband, Federico Vilallonga, on January 10, 1951, with whom she built her first life as wife and mother, settling in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They emigrated to the U.S. in 1971, building a life together in Gainesville, where she resided until her death. After Federico's passing on May 16, 1985, she was blessed with the love of her second husband, Richard "Dick" Fye, with whom she built another life of adventures after their marriage on April 30, 1993.
Tila was artistic, vivacious, driven, strong, altruistic and, above all, loving and caring of all around her. She was an accomplished fashion designer, gourmet cook, stained glass artist, and photographer. Always elegant, kind, thoughtful, and attentive to the needs of all who were around her, she was a mentor to the young and a true friend in her community. She and Dick travelled extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad photographing beautiful sites and sharing wonderful adventures. Most of all, Tila was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and a most dedicated and caring friend to so many.
We celebrate her life and are forever grateful for the blessing of her presence on this earth.
She was preceded in death by her husband Federico, and is survived by her husband Dick Fye of Gainesville, FL, daughter Eliana Vilallonga Davidson of Alexandria, VA, son and daughter in law Eduardo and Maria Rosa Vilallonga and grandchildren Lucia and Nicolas, of Hyde Park, MA.
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