It was my great privilege and pleasure to have known Fernando. Through him, I experienced how a person can bring joy to others' lives by offering a truly special gift—themselves.

A warm and genuine Renaissance man, Fernando embodied the virtues of goodness and humanity.

Though forever missed, Fernando's light continues to inspire us to celebrate life, just as he did.🕯️🕯️🕯️

I had the pleasure of meeting Fernando in 2016 at the 50th anniversary of the founding of our school, Thunderbird, in Glendale, Arizona. I soon realized we had a shared love of Argentina where he was born and where I had homeschooled my son a decade earlier.

What I remember most about Fernando was his warmth and kindness. I was alone at the reunion event, and he took time to engage with me and discuss various topics, including the adventure of travel throughout his beautiful country of birth. After the reunion, we kept in touch as I sought his advice on real estate management. 

In life there are individuals we meet who leave an indelible impression. This was Fernando. He was engaging and funny and possessed the ability to laugh at life’s absurdities while remaining optimistic. 

As I remember Fernando today on his fiftieth birthday, I am grateful for having crossed paths with a fellow graduate who left a lasting impression of kindness and generosity. My deep condolences to the Doldán family.

I'll never forget this lunch in Strawberry, Arizona. The heat had finally subsided and our families sat to enjoy a wonderful lunch together.

Francisco's birthday party - you were so happy!

Happy Birthday Fernando!  One of the best decisions me and Maria ever made was to come visit you and your family in Arizona, back in 2019.  It was August, 120F in the shade, and it didn't matter.  Maria wanted to see you, Alma and Francisco and I also felt the need to get to know you better.   You were understanding, sweet, compassionate, thoughtful, in addition to all the beautiful words shared in this Obituary.     We miss you and know that you are with us !

They were three, sharing life since childhood: Fernando, María Constanza, and Javier. María Constanza was the first to depart, on 02/20/22. I firmly believe she welcomed Fernando on 11/13/24 in heaven—they couldn’t possibly be anywhere else!

As the eldest, Fernando took care of the younger ones. They played, laughed, talked, read, and disagreed like siblings do. Distance never separated them—or us. I had a special bond with Fernando. I can still picture him in his stroller, basking in the sunlight in our dining room. As he grew older, I remember him sitting in the kitchen, saying, “Silvia, let’s talk,” and we did. I see him in his school uniform, ready for his first day at San José. I recall him celebrating each birthday—his or his cousins’—with joy and laughter. He was always the one in charge of opening the presents!

Before leaving for the U.S., we spent time in the garden, where he quickly learned the first English phrases he would need, laughing and playing as always. His departure with his mother brought tears but also new hopes. I received his letters, written in his childlike handwriting, filled with school stories and assignments. Later, his letters came from the places he visited: France, Italy, Spain, and others. I eagerly read his words, replied with jokes from Argentina, and kept every letter in a large folder. We laughed so much about it all. “The Little Prince,” as Alicia, our housekeeper, lovingly called him, grew up nurturing his humble, generous, and joyful spirit.

Every reunion was emotional—a time to feel his warm welcome and embrace him with affection. Supporting him in tough times was a privilege, deepening our bond through talks about spirituality, his acts of kindness, and our shared jokes.

I can still feel his strong back in my arms, his hands in mine, and his clear, blue, loving gaze.

You will always be in my heart!

Eran tres compartiendo la vida, desde niños: Fernando, María Constanza y Javier…María Constanza partió primero, el 20/02/22, firmemente creo que lo recibió a Fernando, el 13/11/24, en el cielo. ¡No podrían estar en otro lugar!
Al ser el mayor, Fernando cuidaba de los más chicos, jugando juntos, riendo, hablando, leyendo y disintiendo como hermanos. La distancia no los separó, no NOS separó. Yo tenía un vínculo especial con Fernando, todavía lo visualizo en su cochecito para que tome sol en el comedor de casa; más grandecito, sentado en la cocina, diciéndome: “Silvia, vamos a charlar”y así lo hacíamos. Lo veo con su guardapolvo empezando el San José,  esperando para salir. Lo recuerdo festejando con alegría y risas, cada cumpleaños, suyo o de los primos. ¡Él era el encargado de abrir los regalos!
 Antes de partir a USA, en el jardín de casa, junto a mí, aprendía velozmente las primeras frases en Inglés, con que se encontraría a  su llegada, jugando y riendo  La partida con su mamá, fue un acontecimiento que nos trajo lágrimas, pero nuevas esperanzas.  Recibía sus cartas, con su letra infantil, sus cuentos y escritos para la escuela. Siguió la correspondencia desde los lugares que visitaba: Francia, Italia, España y otros. Yo leía lo enviado, con avidez y le contestaba, incluyendo chistes de Argentina. Guardo a todos sus envíos, en una gran carpeta. Nos reíamos con todo esto. “El Principito”- como lo llamaba Alicia, la señora que nos ayudaba en casa- crecía y cultivaba su espíritu humilde, generoso y alegre.
El encontrarnos era siempre motivo de emoción, de ser bien recibida y de abrazarlo con gran cariño. Acompañarlo en momentos difíciles fue un privilegio que nos permitió profundizar aún mas nuestro vínculo afectuoso: las charlas de espiritualidad, las experiencias de ayuda a los que la necesitaban y! las bromas!
Siento todavía en mis brazos su espalda fuerte; en mis manos, las suyas y en mi mirada, la de él, límpida, azul y amorosa.
Siempre te tendré en mi corazón!

Desde que me acuerdo, Ferdi fue alguien a quien admiré profundamente. Como primos hermanos, teníamos un vínculo especial, único. Desde chico lo miraba con admiración, como si fuera un ejemplo a seguir en tantas cosas. Y aunque la vida nos llevó por caminos diferentes y a veces nos separaron miles de kilómetros, nuestra conexión nunca se debilitó. Al contrario, estaba hecha de momentos que guardo en el corazón. Nos encontramos en lugares tan distintos como Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Pittsburgh, Lexington, Arizona, Roma o Bonn, y cada uno de esos encuentros siempre tuvo un significado especial.
Mis recuerdos favoritos con él están llenos de cosas simples, pero cargadas de felicidad. Pasábamos días enteros jugando juegos de mesa, compartiendo intereses comunes o ideando travesuras (y, seamos sinceros, esas travesuras no se limitaron solo a nuestra infancia o adolescencia 😄). Ferdi tenía ese don único de hacer que cualquier momento, por más cotidiano que fuera, se sintiera especial.
Nos cuidábamos mutuamente, como hermanos. Reíamos, discutíamos, debatíamos (él era el "rey del argumento", no hay dudas 😅), compartíamos charlas profundas o simplemente hablábamos de la vida. Sin importar el tema, siempre había algo valioso en esas conversaciones. Pero lo que más me impactaba era su capacidad de estar presente, incluso desde lejos. Eso, es un regalo que no se encuentra fácil.

Ferdi me dejó muchas enseñanzas. Pero sobre todo, me mostró cómo enfrentar la vida—no solo en los momentos lindos, sino especialmente en los más difíciles. Su fuerza, su optimismo y su fe inquebrantable me marcaron para siempre.
Hoy, mientras nos toca despedirnos, siento un vacío enorme. Pero al mismo tiempo, un agradecimiento enorme—por cada momento que vivimos juntos, por cada lección que me dejó, y por el amor que siempre nos unió como familia.
Te voy a extrañar muchísimo, Ferdi. Pero sé que siempre vas a estar conmigo, en mis recuerdos, en las cosas que aprendí de vos.

For as long as I can remember, Ferdi was someone I admired deeply. As first cousins, we shared a special bond, and even from a young age, I looked up to him with so much awe. I tried to follow his example in so many ways. Even when life put physical distance between us, our connection stayed strong, filled with moments I truly cherished. Whether it was in Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, Pittsburgh, Lexington, Arizona, Rome, or Bonn—just to name a few—each time we met felt uniquely meaningful.
Some of my favorite memories are of the simple, joyful moments we shared. We spent whole days playing board games, diving into shared interests, or coming up with mischievous plans (and let’s be honest, those didn’t stop in childhood or even our teenage years :). Ferdi had this incredible ability to make even the most ordinary moments feel special.
We always cared for one another like siblings do—laughing, arguing and debating now and then (The "king of the argument"), sharing deep conversations, or just chatting about life. No matter the topic, it always was meaningful. What I’ll never forget is how present he could be, even from far away. That’s a rare and beautiful gift.
Ferdi taught me so much over the years. Most of all, he showed me how to face life—not just in moments of joy, but especially when things got tough. His strength, his optimism, and his unshakable faith left a mark on me that will stay forever.
Today, as we say goodbye, there’s an immense void in my heart. But there’s also so much gratitude—for every moment we shared, for every lesson he taught me, and for the love that connected us as family.
I will miss you, Ferdi. But I know you’ll always be here, in my memories, in the lessons you left behind, and in the love we shared.

Now both are gone, Maria Constanza and Fernando… They were both mostly Spiritual Beings in a human experience that made the world a little better in there short lives in this earth … wish they are now together in Heaven  ❤️ 🙏🙏🙏 - Fernando’s mom

With Maria Constanza, his beloved cousin, more than a sister, that went to Heaven only one year earlier at 44 years old 💔- Fernando’s mom

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And now you are gone forever… your love, kindness for others and your inner peace will live in my heart forever. You were my Life Northstar and still are, love you more than when you were a baby in my arms . You were my pride every day in my life. I cannot put in words what you meant and what you will always mean to me. How much I will miss hearing your voice calling me “mom””.  You were my first thought of the day and the last one of the day. I know how hard, painful, will be for me to move forward in life without you still in this earth 💔 But I hope you are not feeling more pain, and you are happy in Heaven ❤️🙏- Fernando’s mom

OBITUARY

Fernando Jose Ojeda Doldan

January 21, 1975 – November 13, 2024

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