Anabella Molina

In Loving Memory
Anabella Molina
1951 – 2021

Anabella Molina, age 70, of Orlando, FL, passed away on Monday, November 8, 2021 at AdventHealth Hospital in Orlando.

Anabella was born on May 27, 1951, in Manhattan, NY to parents Lucia and Francisco Molina. She grew up in New York together with her only brother, Freddy. Anabella was a curious and lovely girl full of creativity and life. She loved to draw and put together puzzles. She could often be seen playing with her cousins Annie, Robert, Ruthie, Ray, and Becky. She graduated in 1969 from Walton High School in Bronx, NY.

At the age of 18 in 1968 Anabella began working at the Federal Reserve Bank in Manhattan, New York in the Duplicating Division where she was trained by her co-worker Bobbie Crews who would eventually become her Friend and Sister. Two years later she was promoted to the Foreign Department of the bank as a Translator for foreign diplomats who visited and toured the Bank. It was during this time that she developed a love for Japanese art and culture. She worked and lived in New York until 1996 when she moved to Orlando Florida to care for her parents.

Anabella loved traveling and was very adventurous, willing to try anything from hang gliding to going up in hot-air balloons, even taking flying lessons. Her favorite places to travel were Aruba, Bahamas, Italy and Puerto Rico. Anabella also enjoyed going to see Operas, Ballets and Broadway musicals, her favorite being "Camelot". She enjoyed fine dining and learning about different cultures.

She went back to school and got her degree in Drafting from Pace University, working as an independent contractor for several respected architects. In her down time, she watched Hallmark movies, ate at her favorite restaurants, and made friends everywhere she went. Anabella was fond of her time spent at her church, St. Isaac, socializing with people from all walks of life at her local Herbalife center, and creating beautiful art pieces to decorate her home or send out to loved ones. She was a social butterfly, making friends wherever she went.

In 2015, Anabella met and married the love of her life, Jonathan Payne. That year she was also diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Jon was her rock, support, and caregiver through the last years of her life. They had a marriage full of love, laughter, and unity through the tough times.

Anabella suffered a stroke in 2016 that left her partially paralyzed, and Jon was by her side every day and night. Unfortunately, Anabella's cancer returned and wreaked havoc with her body. Later, in 2020, she suddenly and unexpectedly lost her beloved Jon. She was cared for by friends and home health care aides. The tireless love and care of her chosen family, friends, and aides helped carry her through the next year.

She spent many of her days watching her guilty pleasures, Hallmark movies, playing online games, coloring, and making everyone who visited her smile and laugh.

She died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by those who loved and cared for her.

Anabella is survived by her brother, Fernando (Fred) Molina (Grace), Little Rock,AR; her nieces, Jessica Borish (Andrew) and children Chayse, Michael, and Arya, North Little Rock, AR and Melinda Serrano (Joshua) and children Gabriel and Noah, Clermont, FL, and nephew Fred Daniel (Danny) Molina and his daughter Lucia, Little Rock, AR; her God-children, Tiffani Bradley (Tim), Charlotte, NC, Wendy Snavely, Lebanon, PA, and Kristen Andersen, Los Angeles, CA; her first cousins Annie Anderson, Joy Molina, Ruth Mangual, Ramon Figueroa, and Rebecca Rivera; her chosen family, sister Bobbie Crews and special nephew Tesdell Crews Overland Park, KC, cousins Ivette Figueroa Orlando, FL, Marleen Martinez Orlando, FL, Arlene Linger, and special friends Annie Torres, Miriam Andrews, Nereida Giraldo, Annie Ruiz, Grace Varone.

Anabella's Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 2 PM EST on ZOOM live stream (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84078619368).