Gaspar Larrea

Gaspar de los Reyes Larrea

January 6, 1924 – December 8, 2015


Gaspar Larrea was born in Santiago de Cuba on January 6 which is known to millions of Christians worldwide as the Epiphany or Three King's Day (Día de los Reyes Magos). This day commemorates the visit from three Kings or Magi to baby Jesus in his manger presenting him with precious gifts. The scene is described in the Bible in Matthew 2:11: "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." For this reason Gaspar was given the name "Gaspar de los Reyes," although he dropped "de los Reyes" when he moved to the United States. He was the youngest of 6 brothers and sisters who are no longer with us.

Having lived in a communist regime, he knew that he did not want his daughter to be subject to Castro's brainwashing. Each day his daughter Margarita returned from school, he would ask her what lies she had been fed and would proceed to deprogram what had been drilled into her head.

Gaspar decided that it was time to leave the country and thus endured many hardships in trying to leave for the United States which he had visited many times before during the 50's. After five long years, the family took one of the last planes on the "Freedom Flights" to Miami, Florida. Once arriving in Miami, Gaspar quickly realized that if they stayed there, his daughter might not learn English as quickly and so the decision was made to move to Los Angeles, California where friends from Cuba received them.

Gaspar refused to accept government aid which was extended to refugees at that time and instead began working one week later in a gas station. Dolores also found employment in a Children's Hospital and so life began in the United States of America.

The family left California and moved to a couple of more states finally settling in Orlando, Florida which became their permanent home.

Gaspar took great care of his wife Dolores, who lived almost ten years with Dementia. After she passed away, he became ill and was blessed to have a wonderful lady take care of him. Rebeca was his angel on earth going beyond the call of duty to care for him. If only the rest of us would have someone like her to care for us in our old age.

Gaspar had a deep faith in God and even in his dementia he never forgot to praise God and to pray for friends and family alike especially when there was a need. His daughter Margarita will never forget the many times she would be reassured by her father that he would pray without ceasing for each request.

The night before he died he asked one of the nurses if she could see the angels around his bed and insisted that they were there. This brings comfort to us in knowing that he has gone to be with the Lord to a place where there is no more weeping, no more mourning or pain (Revelation 21:4).

He will be terribly missed by his daughter Margarita, son-in-law Rod, Rebeca, what little family is left and those friends who were in his life until the very end.

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