RAFAEL FIGUEROA

Rafael Figueroa, 68, passed unexpectedly at his residence on February 9th, 2026. He lived a wonderful life. He was a much-loved husband, grandfather, father figure, son, and brother. Rafael was born on February 27th, 1957, in Santo Domingo, Barahona, Dominican Republic. After moving to the States from the DR at 28, he worked odd jobs until he finally ended up at Bell Multicultural High School, where he stayed for roughly 21 years until his retirement in 2024. He is survived by his wife, Maria Desouza Figueroa, and his granddaughter, whom he raised, Zamariaha Desouza. Some of his favorite things were dominoes, old western cowboy movies, action movies, Tostones, salami, animals, and la concon from the bottom of the ric; the list can truly go on and on. What brought him and his wife together was their love of cooking, music, and dancing; they could dance the night away if you let them. It was truly magical seeing the love and chemistry together.