Henfel M. Baria

Henfel Malapit Baria, age 60, of Las Vegas, Nevada passed away on Friday, July 28, 2023. Henfel, or “Tan” (as his family and friends called him), was born in the Philippines. In his early teens, he immigrated to San Francisco, CA, where he lived with his father, Henry Baria; mother, Felicitas Baria; younger brothers, Eric, Daniel, and Ariel; and younger sisters, Mariel and Noriel, before moving to Los Angeles, CA. Tan then moved to Las Vegas in 1997 where he worked as an estimator before he found his passion for cooking, became a master cook, and served delicious food to the Las Vegas community for almost 20 years.

Tan could make friends anywhere he went, and he always knew how to make people laugh. He was creative, kind, smart, and loyal. In his younger years, Tan loved to go fishing, collecting coins, photography, and drafting building plans when he worked in architecture. He loved to prepare elaborate and tasty meals for his family and friends, especially during the holidays. His love for others was apparent in how he fed them. Many can recall his mouthwatering prime rib, perfectly sweet roasted pecans, or his daughter Jakki’s favorite— chocolate chip cookies from the package. Tan loved his Starbucks— a venti caramel macchiato with oat milk— and boasted a fabulous collection of Starbucks mugs collected from all over the world. His favorite things to do included spending time with his daughters and dogs and eating at his favorite Vegas restaurants with his family. Tan is survived by his mother, his siblings, and his two daughters, Dominique and Jaqueline.

Family, friends, and others whose lives have been touched by Tan are invited to his viewings held at Palm South Jones Mortuary on August 19-20, from 12pm-6pm, and his Mass and funeral services on August 21, starting at 11am.