Obituary of Aristides Piloto

PILOTO, Aristides died Jan. 3, 2016 after a brief illness. He was 88. Aristides was born on Aug. 8, 1927 in Candelaria a Province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba, where he also grew up. He owned the local grocery and hardware store in his hometown. In 1963, he fled Fidel Castro's regime and moved to South Florida. His bride, Maria Rita Rodriguez, soon followed and they worked tirelessly to establish a new life in the U.S. The couple would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in March and had dated since Maria was 16. For years, he would buy her flowers every week. A lover of people, Aristides made friends wherever he went. The couple lived in Miami most of their lives and in their later years, moved to Century Village in Pembroke Pines where they took daily walks together and visited neighbors. A frequent rider of the area trolley, he became fast-friends with the drivers and they would often chat about sports or the latest happenings in the neighborhood. Aristides was proud of his children and grandchildren and was quick to let friends know about their latest accomplishments and share the most recent photos of his grandkids. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jose Piloto and Concepcion Reyes. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Connie Piloto and her husband the Rev. Christopher Steele of Dallas, Texas; son, Jose Piloto and his wife Lissette Calero Piloto of Miami Lakes; granddaughters, Kamila and Victoria; grandson, Adrian Jose; and sister, Aleida Hernandez of Miami; nieces and lifelong friends. Private burial services will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation to a charity of your choice or the Humane Society of Greater Miami.