Servando "Freddy" Fernandez Obituary (1929 - 2022)

Servando "Freddy" Fernandez, 93, of West Caldwell, NJ, passed away peacefully after a long illness, surrounded by family on Saturday, September 17, 2022. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family at Paul Ippolito-Dancy Memorial, 9 Smull Avenue, Caldwell, NJ, on Thursday, September 22, 2022, 4pm - 7pm. A Mass will be held at St. Anthony of Padua in West Orange on Friday, September 23, 2022, at 11am, immediately followed by the interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Born on April 9, 1929 in San Esteban, Asturias, Spain, he was raised on a farm and spent his formative years as a shepherd. In order to earn money for his voyage to Cuba, at the age of fourteen he obtained a job doing road work. Mr. Fernandez moved to Cuba at the age of seventeen in search of a better life and resided there for fourteen years. It was there he married the love of his life, Maria "Conchita". When the Communist regime took over, he and his growing family were forced to leave the country as refugees, leaving everything behind. He and his family arrived in the United States where they settled in New York City for fourteen years, after which they lived in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ for forty-seven years before moving to West Caldwell. Mr. Fernandez received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from The Asturian Centre School and CPA designation from Candler College. It was during his time in Cuba when employed with San Jose Hardware that Mr. Fernandez discovered a love of numbers while acting as the firm's bookkeeper. Upon graduation he joined the Gonzalez Brothers Hardware Company and became their Head of Accounting. Once stateside, he took on a number of odd jobs to make ends meet while adjusting to life in a foreign land and learning the language before landing a role as a bookkeeper with the S. Klein Department Store chain in New York City. This was followed by his time with the accounting division at Seven Seas, a firm focused on imports and exports. Finally, he was employed as an accountant and controller for the International Protein Corporation, Fairfield, NJ before retiring. In what free time he had outside of work later in life, Mr. Fernandez enjoyed cooking, making wine, gardening and doting on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also enjoyed travelling with his beloved wife. Beloved husband of sixty-seven years to Maria "Conchita" Fernandez, he was the loving father of Antonio Fernandez and his wife, Susan, Maria Fernandez-Ulizko and her husband, Alexander Ulizko, and Lillian Fernandez; cherished grandfather of Justine, Justin [Emily], Alyssa [Mark], Eric [Lindsey], Marc, Catherine, Stephen, Victor, Lucia and Elizabeth, and adored great-grandfather of Lily, Luke, Patrick, Nolan and Caleb. Mr. Fernandez was the cherished son of the late Antonio Fernandez and Manuela Gonzalez-Fernandez and dear brother of Avelardo, Benses, Julia, Eridina, Maria, Angelita, the late Servanda, Placeres, Francisco, Consuelo, and Joaquin. He was also beloved by many nieces, nephews, and cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mr. Fernandez's name to Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph, 327 Water Street, Fairfield, PA, 17320 or at https://www.fairfieldcarmelites.org