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Most people knew Rafael Fernandez as the owner of Holyoke's beloved Puerto Rican eatery, Fernandez Family Restaurant, but to his three daughters he was a confidant and best friend.
"One of us were his left hand, and the other one was his right hand. And he was just each of our best friend," said his middle daughter Jackie Fernandez-Rivera, remembering her father who died last week after a battle with esophageal cancer. He was 71.
According to the family, Fernandez arrived in Holyoke from Puerto Rico in 1971. He found a job at American Pad & Paper, one of Holyoke’s many paper mills. His wife, Ada, left Puerto Rico to join him. They were married for more than 50 years and raised three daughters, Ada Fernandez-Rodriguez, Jackie Fernandez-Rivera and Ivelis Fernandez.
"It's not very common where a woman takes her vows and she really is with him until death did them part, but she cared for him all the way 'til the end. She's very special lady," Fernandez-Rivera said.
In 1988 the family opened Fernandez Family Restaurant on Suffolk Street. After several years they moved to 111 High St. after their restaurant sustained water damage after a fire. Eventually, they relocated to 161 High St.
Fernandez and his wife ran the establishment until 2013 when he retired and left the business to his daughters. In 2022, after 34 years of serving traditional Puerto Rican food and offering help to nonprofits, sports teams and people in need in Holyoke, the restaurant closed. In November of that year, the city of Holyoke renamed the intersection of High and Hampden streets as Fernandez Way, to commemorate the contributions that Rafael and his family made to the city.
Family, elected officials and local dignitaries held a ceremony there this week to reflect on his many contributions to the area.
"There has been such an immense, tremendous amount of support from the whole community and from our family and friends," Fernandez-Rivera said. "So we feel very fortunate that we are getting all this love and it was all because of the person he was."
She said her dad was always at the restaurant, even after he officially retired, chatting with patrons.
"He was the forefront of our restaurant, so they they absolutely loved to see him and his big smile. He just had that way of making people feel so comfortable and welcome when they were there. And (the restaurant) was his second home," Fernandez-Rivera said.
The sisters said the food industry is in their blood and they may consider running a small catering business or doing something food related in the future. For now they are taking time to be with each other and remember their beloved father.
"He was he was such a special person, and he just had that way about him where he just loved on us so much. He loved on us until his last breath," Fernandez-Rivera said.
A wake will be on Feb. 8 from 3-7 p.m. at The Barry J. Farrell funeral home, 2049 Northampton St., Holyoke.
Funeral Mass will be on Friday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. at St. Jerome's Parish, 169 Hampden St., Holyoke. Burial to follow at Saint Jerome Cemetery on Northampton Street in Holyoke.
