Enrique "Henry" Cancel

1952-2021

On Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Henry Cancel, loving husband and father of five children, passed away at the age of 68.

Henry is survived by his wife, Teresa Cancel; two siblings, Maritsa Cancel Sanchez and Robert Cancel, his five children, Derick Cancel, Amy Cancel, Daniel Cancel, Kevin Cancel, David Cancel; and his beloved dog, Bear. He is predeceased by his parents, Aida Purcell and Enrique Cancel; and two siblings, Diana Bevis and Michael Cancel.

Henry was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico in 1952. He moved with his family to New York when he was a young child. He had his first job at the age of fourteen to help his mother support his four siblings. Henry quickly learned that he loved to work, and his life is a testament to that. When he was 18, he enlisted in the Marines. From there he went on to become one of the first paramedics in New York City. He then became a police officer and later a detective. After retiring, he found a job at the Alzheimer’s Association where he taught Police departments in Florida how to find lost Alzheimer’s patients.

He had a wonderful zeal for life. Even though he suffered from many health issues, he never stopped living. He loved fishing, shooting, gardening, and tinkering. Sitting still was never an option for him.

People loved listening to Henry’s life-learned and heart felt stories. He also had a wonderful sense of humor. Teresa, his wife, and many friends and family, will miss his crazy expressions, his modeling poses, and his famous “Cancel” dance.