Rico Cartagena

Rico Cartagena, age 61, of Crestview, passed away Friday, May 4, 2018, in Crestview.  He was born March 25, 1957 in Manhattan, N.Y. to the late Hipolita Miranda and Ramon Cartagena. He was a proud retired Air Force Veteran, an Airborne Communications Specialist serving in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He was a dedicated student at Northwest Florida State College, and a member of Live Oak Baptist Church. Rico had a passion for shooting and was a member of the Hurlburt Rifle Club. He was a loving and dedicated family man and friend to many.  “He never met a stranger.”

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Raymond Cartagena.

Rico is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn Cartagena; daughters, Amy Partlow and Christy Soileau; grandchildren, Ian and Lily Soileau, and Samuel Simmons; niece and nephew, Amanda Roithmeier and Daniel Cartagena; son-in-law, Jason Soileau; and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Sadako and Richard Furrow.

A Graveside Service with military honors will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, May 10, 2018, at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL.

A Celebration of Rico’s Life will follow at 4 PM Thursday at his residence.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to www.veteransmatter.org, in Rico’s memory.

Arrangements are entrusted to Whitehurst Powell Funeral Home in Crestview.  Guest book and condolences are available online at www.whitehurstpowellfuneralhome.com

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