Sergio “Papi” Hebra Sr. passed away peacefully surrounded by his large and loving family while clutching his baseball, covered in his Yankee blanket, and with canaries singing until his last breath.
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1932, Sergio experienced that storied city in its heyday. He played in the Cuban amateur baseball leagues until age 21 when he was signed by Joe “Papa Joe” Cambria to start a minor league career in United States, eventually signing a minor league contract with the Washington Senators.
After his playing days, Sergio settled down in his Havana “barrio” and married the love of his life, Consuelo. The young couple started a family, but in 1959 their lives would change forever when a ruthless, communist dictator took over the country. They realized they had to leave their homeland and applied for an exit visa that took three years to receive. While waiting to leave the island, Sergio worked in forced labor camps cutting sugar cane under watchful eyes of Revolution Committee members. The night before the family was granted permission to defect, a Revolution soldier arrived to deliver threatening, parting insults, then confiscated the house and all personal valuables and kicked the family into the street with whatever clothing they could fit in a suitcase.
After arriving in Miami, FL and through word-of-mouth in the Cuban-American community, Sergio moved the family to Lynbrook, NY but soon found better employment opportunities in Nashua, NH—their newly adopted hometown. Despite language and cultural differences, the family quickly adapted to the new American way of life. For the children, it seemed like an easy transition, and soon a large network of American friends became a part of the entire Hebra family. Maybe it was the open door and constant social activity at the house… or the delicious Cuban food that always seemed available.
Papi loved baseball and was a true New York Yankees fan for life (ugh)! He enjoyed talking to young people about the game, teaching them how to grip the ball correctly and throw a curveball (his specialty). He met lifelong friends at Grace/Hampshire Chemical, but over the years never stopped complaining about how overtime shifts were taken from him…40 years ago! He delighted in breeding canaries but only sold them to friends. He enjoyed watching cowboy movies and any MLB games, as well as random visits from Bob, his energetic and very helpful neighbor and friend. He was energized by telling stories until the very end.
And of course, his love for family and his friends was passionate and undeniable. He truly was everyone’s Papi, even before there was a Big Papi in Boston.
Papi’s wife, Consuelo Milian, predeceased him by ten years and said to him just before she passed: “Don’t get too comfortable, you are right behind me.” Guess he showed her.
He is also preceded in death by his parents, Manuel Hebra and Concepción Rego, sister Olga Bustamante, sister-in-law Silvia Abelleira and husband Angel Abelleira, and mother-in-law Josefina Valdes (who would prepare family meals, but there were times when Papi came home hungry after a 12-hour shift and she had already given his plate to her favorite son-in-law, Angel). Yeah, he remembered that until the end, too.
Papi is survived by mostly Boston Red Sox fans, daughter Ana and husband Andy, son Sergio and wife Jada, daughter Diane and husband Dave, brother Andres and wife Maria, nephews (like sons) Angel and wife Susan, Alberto and wife Mary, Andres Jr. and wife Elvie, and Albert. Grandchildren include Natalia, Sam, Dante, Diego and wife Lauren, Mia, Lily and Nickolas. Grandnephews/nieces include Brandon, Andy and wife Jenni, Dennis, Audrey and husband Paul, Eric, Vanessa, Julien, Jaden and great grandnieces include Yvette, Sophia Belle and Sara Beth, and several members of the Milian and Rego families.Papi will be profoundly missed and always loved by his family and friends.
A private burial service and celebration of life will be held at a later date. If you’d like to honor Papi’s memory with a donation, you are invited to contribute to any of the following: The Community Hospice House in Merrimack; NH SPCA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute; Checks payable to: The Consuelo Hebra Fund for Families in Transition Mount Pleasant Elementary School, 10 Manchester Street, Nashua, New Hampshire 03064. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.farwellfuneralservice.com Arrangements are in the care of the Farwell Funeral Service, 18 Lock Street, Nashua.
