December 17, 1940 - April 18, 2025

July 28, 1989 - April 18, 2025

Graveside Service Thursday April 24, 2025 11:00am Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens 2401 Davie Rd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317

Kathleen R. Garafola (O’Brien), beloved aunt, sister and friend, was reunited with her husband, Dean Garafola, on April 8, 2025. Kathleen was born July 12, 1955. She grew up in Orchard Park, NY and was one of 6 children. After moving to Florida in the 70’s, she worked for Broward County Sheriff’s office for many years as a Code Enforcement Officer, where she met the love of her life, Dean Garafola. They had a beautiful love story and were together and married for over 25 years. Kathleen is survived by her sister, Susan; brother, Frank and many nieces and nephews. Although she had no children of her own, she spent her life showing her love and kindness to other people and her furbabies. Her humor, courage, resilience, big heart, love and beauty will forever touch the hearts of all who knew her. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at noon at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery (chapel) at 1500 South State Road 7, North Lauderdale, FL 33068. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the ASPCA in her honor.

Defino, Raphael “Ralph” Albert, 93, of Hollywood, passed away on April 13, 2025. Born on Oct. 13, 1931, in Newark, N.J, he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in teaching and later served as principal of three Broward County elementary schools. Ralph retired in 1993 after 32 years in the public school system; his last position was principal of Sheridan Hills Elementary. He was married to Theresa Defino, a former teacher and physical therapist, from 1955 until her death in 2011. He also served in the Army and was stationed in Alaska. The couple moved to Florida in 1963, where they raised six children. Ralph was a loyal friend, leader, mentor and an inspiration to all who knew or worked with him. He lived up to the description of “guileless" that was noted in his college yearbook. He could recite the name of every child in his school. He was devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren, and each of them felt his unwavering love and support. His great-grandchildren, or “the little guys” as he called them, were a special delight. After retirement, he and his wife spent countless days relishing life in their cabin amid the mountains of Georgia; they also enjoyed traveling together. Ralph appreciated nature and passed on his love of sunsets to his family. A talented caricaturist, he made model cars, could glue anything back together, enjoyed barbequing and tinkering in his garage, and took pride in fixing his car and maintaining his homes himself. In his later years, Ralph reveled in attending car shows where he and his son would stand with pride next to his 1936 Ford, a surprise gift from his son. He is survived by his children Linda (Corky), Theresa, Stephen (Marea), Kathleen and Mary Ellen; sister Marie; grandchildren Danny (Amber), Jonathan (Kristen), Sofia, Carolyn (Kris), Chloe, Paul, Julia, Sieta and Annabella; and great-grandchildren Dylan, Hyatt, Brody, Andrew, Kollyns and Adelyn. In addition to his wife, he is pre-deceased by his sister Corrine, brother Sam, youngest daughter Diane, and grandchildren Ursula and Kyle. Visitation will be Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 5:00pm - 9:00pm with a prayer service Tuesday evening all at Landmark Funeral Home. Funeral Mass of the Resurrection will be Wednesday, April 23rd, 11:00am at Nativity Catholic Church followed by interment with military honors at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in North Lauderdale. Donations in Ralph’s honor may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, https://www.alz.org.

Betty Ibañez de Sendadiano passed away peacefully at home on March 31st, 2025. Betty was born in Pasaje, El Oro, Ecuador on August 12th, 1935. She was the youngest daughter of Maria Belen Vallejo de Garcia and Andres Corsino Garcia Vallejo. Betty is survived by her daughters Maria Belen Melton (Ray), Maria Isabel (Todd Rouhe), Dr. Margarita (Dr. Francois Phancao), son Antonio (Sherry), adoptive daughters Marina and Elena Fares, sister Lola Davila, sister-in-law Maria Isabel Ibañez de Sendadiano de Ayastuy, and nine grandchildren. She was pre-deceased by her husband Antonio Ibañez de Sendadiano, brothers Galo Garcia Vallejo and Dr. Cesar Garcia Vallejo, and by her sister Ruth Isabel Garcia Vallejo.

Magaly B. Hernandez, 77, of Pembroke Pines, passed away April 12, 2025. Survived by husband Lazaro; son Tony (Melissa); daughter Melissa Tobar (Miguel); mother Yolanda; brother Roberto Palma (Mildred); sister Raquel Del Monte (Santiago) and grandchildren Mia, Mason; Anthony and Austin. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 16th, 6:00pm – 9:00pm with a prayer service at 8:00pm all at Landmark Funeral Home.

Father Sean C Mulcahy age 88 of Lorida, Florda passed away April 10,2025. Born February 15, 1937 in Ogonnelloe, County Clare, Ireland to Jack and Mary (Cotter) Mulcahy. Father Sean was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on June 17,1962 for the then Diocese of Miami. His assignments in South Florida included Epiphany, Little Flower, Hollywood; St. Timothy, Little Flower, Coral Gables and St. Ignatius Loyola, Palm Beach Gardens. He was pastor of St. Maurice Church in Ft. Lauderdale and served the community for almost 23 years. Fr. Sean was subsequently assigned to Blessed Sacrament and St. Charles Borromeo. Upon retirement to central Florida, he assisted at Sacred Heart Church in Okeechobee. He had a deep spirituality, possessed tremendous Irish humor, an effervescent personality and lived his life by his credo “Do the loving thing.” His zest of life was evident in everything he did, from celebrating meaningful liturgies, community outreach, church maintenance, where you could find him on most Fridays riding his tractor around the grounds with his “wrecking crew”, or driving his 18 wheeler delivering food to the needy. He spearheaded the St. Maurice hunger program that raised well over a million dollars to help feed those less fortunate in the US and all over the world. He will forever be remembered by his extraordinary faith-filled presence and by the many lives he graced. Visitation Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, 10:00AM to 11:00AM followed by the Mass of the Resurrection at 11:00AM at Blessed Sacrament, 1701 E. Oakland Park Blvd, Oakland Park, Florida 33334. Services and burial will be in County Clare, Ireland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to: Heifer International (Heifer.org) and Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers (donate.maryknoll.org)

Albina M. Kahn, 97 of Hollywood, passed away at home on April 6th, 2025. She was born in Akron, Ohio and moved to North Miami, Dade in 1946. Albina and her mother Angeline Martinelli (Lena) owned and operated a motel, bar (Lena’s) and restaurant (Cannonball Steakhouse) in North Miami Beach, which they sold in 1981. Albina had a love for bird watching, making stained glass art, her dog Jack, and her many neighbors. She was predeceased by her husband Harold F. Kahn. Survived by her son Harold “Frank” Kahn, and her daughter Albina “Angela” Dickenson and her forever son- in- law Carroll Dickenson. Her grandchildren, Jessica Obenauf (Tyler), Harold “Frank” Kahn Jr. (Jill), Jaime Whaley (Todd), Rachel Goris (Javier), Stephen Eric Dickenson (Casey), Alan D. Dickenson(Shea) and her great grandchildren, Grant Obenauf, Annabelle Kahn, Savannah Kahn, Harold “Frank” Kahn III, Robbie Doss, Nate Whaley, Gavin Roach, Alexa Entringer. Ella Joy Dickenson, Stephen Eric Dickenson Jr., Caleb Dickenson, Emory Dickenson, Owen Dickenson, Theo Dickenson. Visitation will be Saturday, April 12, 12:00pm to 2:00pm, at Landmark Funeral Home located at 4200 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood Florida.