A celebration of the life of Dr. Wendolina (Blanca) Moore Velez

A celebration of the life of Dr. Wendolina (Blanca) Moore Velez

      Wendolina (Blanca) Moore Velez, 91, of Lauderhill, Fla., died peacefully at home on April 13, 2016.  She was born Sept. 13, 1924 in Minas, Camaguey, Cuba, the eldest daughter of Daniel and Esther Vanzie.  She was the product of the Catholic school system and Denham High School in Jamaica, West Indies. In 1948 she migrated to the United States from Cuba.

Blanca was an ambitious woman who made exceptional achievements in the field of cosmetology, beginning with professional diplomas from the Robert Fiance Beauty College and the Adele Reed Beauty School in NYC and the Ingrid School of Hair Design in Philadelphia. Blanca’s quest for excellence led her into exciting and sometimes challenging career in NYC as a teacher at the La Roberts Beauty School and as the Director of the Cosmetology Department at the Kings County Hospital’s Methadone Program, Brooklyn, New York.

Blanca was also a successful entrepreneur; operating Blanca’s Hair Stylist for several decades in Brooklyn and relocated the business to Fort Lauderdale in 1984.

Blanca was a community-minded global citizen and held offices in many civic organizations both in New York City and Broward County. Her servant leadership led her to attend our nation’s Inaugural Ball in 1969, advocate for international peace with members of the U.S. Congress and at the United Nations.

She was the proud recipient of numerous awards locally and nationally which reinforced her stance as a role model for many of the young people she mentored.

She was the proud recipient of numerous awards locally and nationally which rein-forced her stance as a role model for many of the young people she mentored.

She also symbolized the effectiveness of multicultural competencies which resulted in her receiving the International Excellence Leadership Award from the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (2012), induction into the Broward County Women’s Hall of Fame (2013), and receiving the Community Service Star Award on Inter-national Women’s Day from the Weston Chapter of the American Association of University Women (2014).

In spite of her nine decades she was actively involved with the Broward County Chapter United Nations Association of the United States of America, the Broward County Business and Professional Women’s Network and the Castle Gardens Condominium Owners Association.

She was a devout Christian woman and a member of the Plantation Seventh Day Adventist Church. Blanca was married to Robert Vernon Velez, a retiree of the U.S. Air Force. They parented one parrot together, “Judybug”.

She leaves to cherish her memory her husband of almost 40 years; her two children: Jacquelyn Shipe and her husband, Oliver, Dr. Norman G. Knight and his wife, Dr. Heather Knight; 12 grand-children, 18 great grand-children; her sister, Anita Sergeant and nephew, Eric Sergeant along with a host of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, God-children, extended families and friends. Blanca rests easy now as she awaits the voice of the great life-giver who has promised her a beautiful new home and a beautiful new life in the New Jerusalem.

Viewing will be at Mizell and Kurtz Funeral Home Wednesday, April 20, 2016 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. and funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 21 at 4 p.m. at Plantation Seventh Day Adventist Church, 400 N.W. 118 Ave., Plantation, Fla. Burial will be at VA cemetery in Lake Worth, Fla. on Friday, April 22 at  9:15 a.m.