Jose Antonio Fernandez

Jose Antonio Heriberto Fernandez Henry, 87, of Bar Nunn, WY passed away at home surrounded by family on September 18, 2024. He was strong, hardworking, stubborn, generous, caring, and loved his family fiercely.

Jose was born on December 14, 1936 in La Habana, Cuba. He was the only son of Gumersindo and Rosa Fernandez. He graduated from Academia De La Salle (Christian Brothers) in 1955 and remained a very proud alumni throughout his life. 

Jose studied accounting at the University of La Habana. He started his first job in 1957 at Esso Standard Oil in Ciego de Avila, Cuba. After the Cuban Revolution, in order to leave his beloved Cuba for a better life in the United States, Jose was forced to leave his job and work for over two years for the Cuban Communist government. He arrived in the United States on a Freedom Flight on February 29, 1968 alongside his family which included his then six-year-old daughter, Ana Maria. He left behind his mother who was to ill to travel and father in Cuba. 

Jose once stated that when moving to the United States, he was “expecting whatever I saw, expecting nothing but a better life, food in the markets, food on the table, being able to do anything, work and make money, move around, no one telling you what to do, no one following you around, and for Freedom of Speech.” He loved the United States and said that he would never go back. He was a staunch and proud Republican who loved politics.

After arriving in the United States and making his home in Southern California, Jose worked as a part-time factory worker and handyman. Those first years in a new country were hard. He learned English and acclimated to life in the United States, but never forgot his roots. He was one of the founding and active members of La Cofradia, a social club where exiled Cuban families congregated and maintained their culture. He served as its President for one year and remained very active. He worked at Jefferson Smurfit for 31 years, rising in the ranks from a factory laborer to a plant manager. After retiring from Jefferson Smurfit, he worked part- time doing taxes for family and friends and at The Archdiocese of Los Angeles in their Accounting Department. Jose was also involved in the Catholic Charities which was an organization that helped Cuban refugees arriving in the United States. He worked tirelessly to provide for his family, oftentimes working seven days a week. He moved to Casper, WY 2015 and to Bar Nunn, in 2020, where he eventually completely retired.

When asked what he remembers most about Cuba he once said, “When I close my eyes, I can see my father and my mother. I left my mother behind in Cuba and she died and I could not go to her funeral. I was reunited with my father in 1977 and I was so lucky to finally get him out of Cuba and bring him to the United States.” He self-described his childhood in Cuba as fun, spending all day at school with only a small break for lunch, but lots of time with friends and family. 

Jose loved history, US and especially Cuban. He was one of the smartest people we have ever met. He had an uncanny ability to remember the exact dates, details, and locations of all the places he visited. He enjoyed camping, road trips, and yearly vacations with family.

 He once told the story of leaving behind his beloved Cuba. As he was leaving on the flight from Varadero to Miami, he remembers looking back and seeing the beach and the palm trees. He warned others to take a good look because they would never see it again. He said he would die in the United States, in freedom, and would never go back to Cuba. Papi, now you can go back to Cuba, in the freedom that the separation from this Earth brings. 

He is survived by his wife, Frances. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Silvia Fernandez. His legacy lives on through his 4 children, Ana Fernandez (Jorge), Aimee Blanco (Manuel), David, and Vincent (Elisha) and his 5 grandchildren: Cristian, Joshua, Emily, Henry, and Wayne. 

To share a memory of Jose or leave a special message for the family, please visit the guestbook below.