Manuel Almagro

Manuel Almagro, 77, of Mansfield Center, beloved husband of Alicia (Morales) Almagro, passed away in his sleep on Tuesday, April 24, 2007. He was born in Havana, Cuba on December 14, 1929, the son of the late Ignacio de Almagro and Dolores de Ajuria. Manuel lived in Glastonbury, CT for 37 years before moving to Mansfield Center in 2005. He emigrated from Cuba in 1960, but had previously attended Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, where he was known as "el cubano". Manuel was also a graduate of the Instituto del Vedado in Havana and attended the University of Havana. He was a veteran of the 1961 Bay of Pigs' Invasion to Cuba. He served with the 2506 Brigade and was recognized for his camaraderie and courage. Manuel was a prisoner of war in Castro's jails for almost two years and was returned to the U.S. after the government paid a ransom in December of 1962. In Cuba Manuel worked at this father's business, Almagro Motor Co., and also at La Polar Brewery. In Connecticut he worked at Stanadyne in Windsor for almost 30 years. He retired in December 1992 as assistant Chief Engineer in the Diesel Engines Division. Manuel was a loyal fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Green Bay Packers and both the men's and women's UConn basketball teams. Besides his wife of 43 years, Alicia, he leaves his son Manuel Jr. and his wife Janet of North Granby; his daughter Lourdes and her husband Carlos E. Araujo of El Salvador, C.A., and Key Biscayne, FL; his daughter Lilliam and her husband Gustavo Sanchez of Key Biscayne, FL; his daughter Alicia Maria of Mansfield Center; his son Rafael Jorge of Denver, CO; and five grandchildren: Kirsten, Jonathan, Megan, Nicolas and Alexander. He also leaves six brothers: Ignacio, Alberto, Juan Antonio, Javier, Jose and Pablo; and several nephews, nieces, grandnephew and grandnieces. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of Our Lady of Peace, 370 May Road, East Hartford. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the DeQuattro Community Cancer Center, 73A Haynes Street, Manchester, CT 06040 or the VNA North Central Hospice and Palliative Care, 8 Keynote Drive, Vernon, CT 06066. Please visit www.potterfrh.com for online memorial guestbook.