Elliott S. Fuentes' Obituary
Elliott Fuentes, 86, died January 18, 2015, at his home in his native Tampa, with all of his family with him. Preceding him in death was his beloved wife of 60 years, Gloria. He is survived by his children, Lawrence Fuentes (Sandra) and Mary Ann Hamilton (Andy), his grandchildren, Jeffrey Fuentes (Kirby), Steven Fuentes (Lauren), Ann Fuentes, Will Hamilton, and Olivia Hamilton, his great grandchildren, Drew Fuentes, Elle Gloria Fuentes and soon to arrive, Leonard Elliott Fuentes, sister, Teresa Batty, and many nieces and nephews. Born in Tampa on August 5, 1928, to Manuel Fuentes and Alla Solomon Fuentes, descending from a pioneer Tampa family, his grandmother, Ann Elizabeth Leonardi Solomon, having been born in Tampa in 1859 to his great-grandparents, Bartholomew Leonardi and Mary Ann Kemp, who were among the 20 founding families of Sacred Heart Church and who donated the Catholic section of historic Oaklawn Cemetery to the Church. His roots in Florida commence with the Leonardi’s and the Bonelli’s in St. Augustine in the 1780's and the Curry’s and the Kemp’s of Key West in the 1800’s.
While associated for many years with his family’s Hayman Jewelry, one of Tampa’s oldest retail jewelers, his true passion and life calling was as a horseman. Getting his start with horses as a youngster riding as a jockey on dirt covered Dale Mabry on Sunday afternoons, he excelled as a quarter horse jockey. His passion and knowledge of the horse led to a storied and successful career as a thoroughbred breeder and trainer, partnering with his brother, Solly Hayman, in the Hayman-Fuentes Farm. His knowledge of the horse and of breeding led to many successes over 50 plus years at the select sales of Saratoga and Hialeah and on the track beginning at Sunshine Park, Florida Downs and now Tampa Bay Downs. While he was proud of his own many accomplishments as a breeder and horseman, he was particularly fond of recalling his role in the selection, raising, breaking and early training on his farm of 1985 Kentucky Derby winner, Spend a Buck, for family friend, Dennis Diaz.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in his memory to Meals on Wheels of Tampa, 550 W. Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL 33603, as Elliott was most proud of the role his wife, Gloria, had in the founding of that organization, which often recognizes her as its Founder.
Services will be at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 1209 Memorial Drive, Trinity, FL 34655 (On State Road 54, just west of Gunn Hwy.), on Saturday, January 24, 2015. Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m., Service at 11:00 a.m., and a celebration of Elliott’s life at the Hayman-Fuentes Farm immediately following.
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