Fernando Labrada died suddenly and unexpectedly on Thursday, April 28, 2016, surrounded by his work family onsite in the city of New Orleans at the age of 59. He is survived by his beloved wife and soulmate of over 30 years Loretta and precious daughters Samantha Diane Labrada and Alexandra Michelle Labrada; sister Lucy (Luz) Shaeffer (Labrada) and husband Dennis Sr.; aunt Margot Berggren (Dominguez); uncle Charles (Chuck) Berggren; nephews and nieces Dennis Shaeffer Jr., Daniel and Geri Shaeffer, Steven and Gena Pine, Sara Pine and Tucker Pine; a whole house full of cousins and extended family. And da boyz, 
Scooter Philippe and Taurus Pringleton Labrada.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Nestor Placido Labrada and Maria Emilia Labrada (Dominguez); his beloved grandparents Fernando Labrada & Luz Maria Andreu and Manuel Dominguez & Emilia Gregory; uncles Julio Labrada and Fernando (Ferdi) Labrada, his namesake; and aunt Luz Maria Labrada. And at the end of the Rainbow Bridge, Harley James and Zoe Louise are leading the pack.
Fernando came into this world on Monday, September 10, 1956, in La Habana, Cuba. At the age of 12, accompanied only by his big sister and their grandparents, he immigrated to America land of the Free on November 25, 1968, with little more than the clothes on their backs, each other, and LOVE.
He grew roots where he was planted. After graduating with honors and scholarships from TK Gorman HS in Tyler – Class of ’74 – he attended a handful of colleges, absorbing knowledge; and graduated from the University of Texas Dallas in December 1990, just five months before becoming the World’s Greatest Dad.
His extensive work family stretches far and wide across this land: HyBridge – Crawford & Jamie, Shanett, Jim, all of you; Harborage; The Hunter Group; ISH; all the way back to TCA in Tyler – during which time he chose a career path and a partner for his journey. You are like family because of Fernando.
Fernando (aka Nando aka Fred) wasn’t ever for one second what he did for a living. Everything Fernando did, his true passion, his purpose, his “why”… was being Dad to Sam and Alex. And because of who he was, he was CubanDad to the rest of “the kids” who have found refuge and laughter at Casa Labrada. Fernando could do anything he focused his energies upon, limited only by physics, anatomy, gravity, and science.
Chef, floral designer, animal lover, a walking library of useful trivia – Fernando M. Labrada was truly one in a million. He never met a stranger, and virtual strangers will remember him.
A CELEBRATION of LIFE honoring Fernando will be held
on Saturday, the fourteenth of May at eleven o’clock in the morning
The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Richardson Texas
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to PRIDEROCK Wildlife Refuge
…Fernando loved the Tigers…
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13