Dora Luz Andujar

Our mother died after a long battle with many health problems.  She also had more tragedies in her life than anyone else I’ve ever known.  But she did live a passionate colorful life.  Her first battle came when she was 13 years old.  She saw the grocery delivery boy through her window with her mother and told her mother:  “That’s the boy I’m going to marry”.  Her mother didn’t like that and suspected she was already involved with him, but she was not.  She was an innocent little girl with a vision.  In love, at age 16, she married Carlos Manual Andujar, also known as “Cookie”.

Cookie and Dora were there at the Grand Opening of The Fountain Blue Hotel in Miami.  Dora had many stories how she met many movie stars.  She was a shy elevator girl and Cookie was a bellhop. She met Frank Sinatra and his daughter.  She opened the door for Cary Grant and slammed the door on his face due to her being surprised.  She reopened and apologized and still received a nice tip.

Dora and Cookie had 2 boys in Miami; Brian & Bruce. Charles, as some friends and family called him, went to visit family in NY.  During that time officers came to Dora in Florida and asked her where her husband was located.  Being young, innocent and mad at him, she told them he was visiting his family in NY.  At this time he was drafted.  Dora was unaware of this until sometime later.  She struggled taking care of the 2 boys at this time, waitressing.  While tap dancing during her waitress job, someone mentioned New Orleans to her as a place to earn a great living dancing.  And so she did.  She flew there, determined to be successful, she convinced the best hotel in New Orleans to give her a room and she would pay them at the end of the week.  She was clever, determined, and still very innocent. 

After 6 years of not hearing from her husband, she assumed he was dead. She received a phone call from her mother that “someone wanted to talk” to her.  As she listened and heard his voice, she hung up the phone from the surprise and shock.  When Charles arrived in New Orleans and Dora saw him, she said “I fell in love all over again”.  — Their love was very strong! —  But things have changed. — He left her a little girl and he returned to a woman!—  She was use to a higher lifestyle, kids went to school in limos and taxi cabs, dressed in suits, etc.  She left that world to join her husband in Ft. Rucker, AL.  Here they had 2 more boys Blake and Brent. He was still in the ARMY. The love hate relationship continued to Columbus, GA.  While stationed here, Charles was sent to Vietnam and died June 13, 1969.  He left her with 4 boys.

With very little income, Dora held 3-4 jobs to maintain the family. A year and a half after his death, Dora had a severe car accident while traveling from one job to another in the early morning.  She went over a cliff and hit a tree.  She often told that “the engine was in my lap”.  She was in a coma for 3 months with severe brain and body injuries.  She was paralyzed from the neck down, full body cast, and had a major thrombosis surgery on her neck to save her life.  Dr. Louis Hazouri was the third Neurologist to President John F. Kennedy and he became her life saver.  Unable to speak, walk, write or go to the bathroom, she somehow developed an inner energy to wake from the coma.  With most of her memory gone from a major stroke, she remembered she had 4 boys.  She was determined to leave the hospital.  A lieutenant assigned to help her, drooling and unable to form words, this lieutenant, in some gracious glory, was able to understand her and her desires.  He helped her find her kids, get them from the foster homes and take them to a family residence while she went under therapy for a month or so. Her love was her strength.  First it was Cookie and now it was for her kids. It was 1971.

It was a struggle raising boys during this time of her life that required major rehabilitation.  People didn’t understand her, she would use Spanish words mixed with English in a sentence and most had to figure out what she was talking about.  She developed the use of her body except her left arm.  She did learn how to walk, talk and speak again.  They said she would not be able to balance a checkbook nor drive a car ever again.  They were wrong and she did!  Her inner strength is something most people don’t have.

The oldest 2 boys left home early.  Dora went back to college while raising the younger 2 boys and received a degree.  She taught her boys to be independent and taught them how to do their own laundry, cook, sew, and even some street smarts she remembered from her life in NY as a child. She never remarried, afraid someone would abuse her sons.

After the kids turned 18, mom sold her home in Columbus, GA and moved to Destin, FL. It was her goal and she accomplished it.  She soon found a shabby beach house needing restoration.  She purchased it and it soon became her next love.  She designed the interior herself.  All interior walls covered with wood, her tile designs along the kitchen wall, handmade cabinets and shelving, it was and still is a unique beautiful home. There is a little bit of Dora in every square inch. The tiny one bedroom 500 square foot home became her sanctuary where she would take care of herself the remaining of her life.  She loved the beach and Great Danes.

Dora died in Columbus, GA due to major health complications.  She leaves behind a long history of love to many family and friends.  She leaves behind her four sons Brian, Bruce, Blake and Brent and their families detailed here:

Brian Andujar:  Her daughter-in-law, Annie; and grandson Joshua;

Bruce Andujar:  Her daughter-in-law, Marie; grandsons: Grant, Edgar, Gavin; and granddaughter, Mirian;

Blake Andujar:  Her daughter-in-law, Angela; and granddaughters, Vitoria and Alexandra;

Brent Andujar: Her daughter-in-law, Simone; grandsons:  Vincent, Andreas, Angelo; and granddaughters:  Nina, Sophia, Isabella, Angelia, Juliet, Jennifer and Brittany.

Great grandchildren:

From Jennifer:  Jaiselle Azariah, Jeramiah, Joselyn Jade, Juliette Mae and Jase Malcolm;  

From Brittany: Aaliyah and Christopher.

With honor and respect we lay her to rest.