Luana Maria Campos Casal

Luana Maria Campos Casal was born in a small town in Santa Clara, Cuba on February 25, 1938. She entered peacefully into God’s loving arms on May 6, 2019 in Gwinnett County after a leukemia diagnosis in August.

In those 81 years, she lived an extraordinary and joyful life highlighted by 58+ years of marriage, three children and a granddaughter, a career as a teacher and too many trips to the malls to count. But most of all, her life was punctuated by an enduring and unwavering love and faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

When she was diagnosed with leukemia, she knew it was fatal at her age. Yet, she told us she had nothing whatsoever to fear - for she knew God’s eternal Kingdom awaited her. Her answer to EVERY question posed by her troubled loved ones: “Have you prayed on it?”

Much to her family’s delight, several people visited in her final days to let her know it was she who had led them to Christ, a powerful testament to her faith.

Luana also had notorious earthly pleasures in which she indulged. She loved shopping - malls, dollar stores, tacky souvenir shops, it didn’t matter. She loved travel; visiting Europe several times and traveling all over the US. She loved slot machines. She loved Christmas and all things associated with it, down to the anamatronic snoring Santa doll. She loved karaoke and singing. She loved reading and knowledge, indulging in all manner of literature and poetry. She loved family - always insisting they be together for holidays, birthdays and any other reason she deemed fit. Her appetite and love of food was also a sight to behold - she would unabashedly order steak and lobster when out, and polish off every morsel. “I’m diabetic!” she would initially admonish an offerer when presented with cake and ice cream, shortly before scraping the last remnants. She loved to laugh and make others laugh with her.

Luana was the driving force behind her family leaving Communist Cuba in 1970. It was an excruciating decision, as she and her husband left many of their siblings and family behind. She knew a better life lay ahead, and based the decision on her children’s future. Nothing made her prouder than to say she graduated three kids from college, always adding “debt-free!”

She was a teacher in Cuba. But the language barrier here required her to work clerical jobs for almost 30 years before retiring at 60. To provide for a better life, she and her husband for many years cleaned offices after working all day. She savored retirement; traveling, doll collecting, pulling the handles in Biloxi or Cherokee and spoiling her only granddaughter.

Luana is survived by husband, Rodolfo; three children Rudy (Patti), Carlos (Asa) and Lisi; and a granddaughter Gabby, daughter of Rudy and Patti.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 12:00 noon in the Chapel of Flanigan Funeral Home, 4400 South Lee Street, Buford, GA 30518 with Rev. Dr. Cecilio Lajara officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens, 722 Conley Road, Forest Park, GA 30297. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. until time of service at 12:00 noon.

To express condolences, please sign our online guest book at www.flaniganfuneralhome.com.  Arrangements By: Junior E. Flanigan of Flanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Buford, GA (770) 932-1133.