Mercedes "Mercy" Diaz Miranda

Mercedes "Mercy" Diaz Miranda, 95, passed away peacefully at home in Miami, Florida, on March 6, 2026, surrounded by her loving children, grandchildren, and family.

Born on June 28, 1930, in Havana, Cuba, to Esperanza Cuervo Corrales and Carlos Diaz Valdes, Mercy was educated at Catholic schools including St. Theresa and the Dominican American Sisters in Havana, and later at St. John's Villa Academy in New York. She completed postgraduate studies at the University of Havana School of Journalism and Communications. Her career began in 1949 with the CMQ Broadcasting Network in Cuba. In 1952, she married Jose Antonio Miranda Marina, who predeceased her in 1991, and together they raised seven children. The family immigrated to Spain in 1960, where she continued her marketing career at Juan Gros Marketing Agency in Madrid. In 1969, she returned to the United States and joined the Suburban Division of The Miami Herald, later advancing to Knight-Ridder Newspapers. In 2011, she married Salvador J. Juncadella, Esq., who passed away in 2023 after twelve years of marriage.

A dedicated advocate for women, minorities, and civic engagement, Mercy served more than 100 organizations and received numerous honors from community leaders, elected officials, and Presidents of the United States. As Hispanic Community Relations Manager and later Assistant Director of Community Relations at The Miami Herald, she worked alongside the newspaper’s founding executives during a formative era in Greater Miami. For 38 years, she bridged communities with her ability to listen and connect, championed diversity, and celebrated the multicultural fabric of the city. Even after retiring in 1995, she continued volunteering, always finding ways to support the causes she believed in. Colleagues remembered her impeccable leadership, creative vision, and tireless commitment to both her family and her community.

Mercy is survived by her seven children, her grandchildren, and the many lives she touched through her decades of service and quiet generosity.