Gilma Cardona Torres, age 95, of Jacksonville, Florida went to her eternal home on April 15, 2024, at Ann and Donald McGraw Community Hospice in Jacksonville, Florida.  She was born in San German, Oriente Province in Cuba on January 17, 1929, to the late Juan Cardona and Maria Pons of Ibiza, Spain.  She was the fourth of nine siblings. Gilma grew up in Caimanera, Oriente on the Bay of Guantanamo, and there she met her husband Jorge H. Torres. They were married on November of 1950 and had two children, Magdeline and Jorge Luis. In May of 1966, she left Cuba with her family and immigrated to the United States, settling in Jacksonville, Florida where she helped raise her family working in a franchise family-owned grocery store for more than 15 years. In 1983, she and her husband opened, according to a local newspaper, the best tasting Cuban food restaurant, on Beach Boulevard and St. Johns Bluff where they worked until retirement in 1993. Gilma was very kind to all she met and was always ready to serve family and others as spoken in Proverbs 31. She will be remembered as a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, neighbor and friend. Gilma was most thankful to hear and accept the Gospel story that was brought to her and her family. She enjoyed fellowship with those of like precious faith. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and seven siblings. Gilma is survived by her two children, Jorge Luis (Debbie) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Magdeline Steinbrecher (David) of Jacksonville, Florida, her youngest sister, Sonia Cardona Briz (Jose), four grandchildren, 12 great- grandchildren, numerous nephews and nieces and other extended family members and friends.

The family will receive family and friends from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on April 19th, 2024 at The Arlington Park Funeral Home, 6920 Lone Star Road, Jacksonville, FL 32211. Services will follow at 2:00 p.m. with George Lee officiating. Burial will follow the service at the Arlington Park Cemetery across the street.

The family also requests that in lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Community Hospice & Palliative Care, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 at TheFoundationCares.org website.