Maria Valdes Zaayman was born pretty, the second child of author Thusnelda Mencio Valdes and her husband, Dr. Luis G. Valdes-Larralde. In 1961, the family left Havana, Cuba, and immigrated to the United States when Maria was a year old. As a young woman, Maria was loved for her sense of humor, generosity, and dedication to her professional work in nursing and teaching. She married Johan Zaayman, a South African diplomat, and lived with him and their...