Miguel Sanchez Fernandez

Miguel Sanchez Fernandez, 81, of Naples passed away peacefully at home on Friday, November 30, 2012. Born in the tiny town of Escobar, Las Villas, Cuba and armed with a third grade education he immigrated to the city of Santa Clara, Cuba where he met his wife Josefina Sallens and made a living as a truck driver.

In 1969 in search of political freedom, he came to the United States (Long Island, New York) with his family, where he worked multiple jobs to earn enough money to open a grocery store in 1976, specializing in tropical products including fruits and vegetables. The success of the store enabled Miguel to retire at age 55 to Naples, Florida in 1987, where he decided to take up various hobbies/entrepreneurships, including the start up of a small orange grove and later a small green house business.

In 2005 he sold his businesses and home in Golden Gate and retired a second time, to the Orange Tree Community of Naples.

In 2010 he was stricken with Leukemia, and battled for nearly three years until succumbing to the disease on Friday, November 30, 2012.

Survived by his Wife Josefina; his son, Miguel Enrique Sanchez of Hungerford, Texas (In-law Hannah, and grandsons, Michael Christopher Sanchez, Kalen Bernard Sanchez, Diem Nhi Lopez, Comay Pasdar Shirazi, and Anh Tuan Nguyen); his son, Juan Carlos Sanchez (In-law Lolita, and grandaugter Unice Abarca Sanchez), of Long Island, New York; and Doris Downing of Arlington Heights Virginia (In-law Timothy Downing, Jr., and granddaughters Ana Vivian Downing and Lucia Marie Downing).