Jorge Gustavo Prendes

McAllen - Jorge Gustavo Prendes, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away on Friday, October 20, 2023 in McAllen surrounded by his loving family. He was born on November 18, 1933 in Guantanamo, Cuba to Alvaro Prendes and Esther Sagebien. He is remembered by Nuria Boada Prendes, the love of his life for 63 years and two daughters: Nuria Putnam of Denton, Texas and Maelia & Angus Davis of Cypress, Texas. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren who he was most proud of: George Anthony & Tina Putnam, David Charles Putnam & Nuria A. Putnam (Denton, Texas), Roger & Haley Macin (Austin, Texas), Alex Macin (West Point, New York), Kara & Tom Haywood (Monroe, Georgia), Emily Davis (Spokane, Washington), Heather Davis (San Antonio, Texas) and Tania Macin (Mexico City, Mexico). He was preceded in death by his brother Alvaro Luis Prendes and his son-in-law George Charles Putnam. What he treasured above all else was rounding up his large extended family and spending time together. Jorge’s story began in Cuba where he grew up and studied law at the University of Havana hoping to follow in his father’s footsteps who was a very well known lawyer and mayor of Guantanamo. He met his wife at the Union Club in Guantanamo and as God would have it, rescued her and her friends the following week when their car got stuck in the sand at the beach. Sources say he described her eyes as “ojos como un farol de un carro” (beautiful big eyes like headlights on a car). They were married on April 29, 1960 and had an idyllic life until the government changed. Once Communism destroyed the once beautiful island, he was forced to work in the sugar cane concentration camps created for those that refused to commit to Communism. He made the brave decision to leave Cuba with his young bride and two young daughters in order to seek freedom and a better life for his family. On April of 1969 he was given 48 hours notice to fly out the country and they moved to Spain without a penny in their pockets and only the clothes they had on their backs. Jorge worked 3 jobs in Madrid round the clock to earn enough to start a new life. Eventually he was able to fly his family to the United States in 1970 where they lived in Silver Springs, Maryland then Elizabeth, New Jersey. In 1975 he moved the family to McAllen, Texas where all of his wife’s family lived and created a home. He was a banker for most of his life very proud to work at McAllen State Bank and D-Tronics and retired at the age of 80. He enjoyed wood working, painting, drawing and cultivated an amazing array of fruit trees, plants and flowers in his backyard. He loved Cuban music and played it every day in the house. He was well known for his yearly calendars which he created and printed for 20+ years for his large family that had everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries noted. He always said that his greatest achievement was seeing his two daughters graduate from college, be fully bilingual and succeed in their careers. He was immensely proud of all his grandchildren and always tried to inculcate the Cuban culture and language in their lives. Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 between the hours of six and eight o'clock in the evening at Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen. A recitation of the holy rosary will commence at seven o'clock in the evening. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at ten o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in McAllen where Father Martin De La Cruz will serve as celebrant. Burial will immediately follow at Valley Memorial Gardens in McAllen. In lieu of usual remembrances, please consider a donation in Jorge's Honor to MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 or MDAnderson.org/Gifts or Texas Oncology, 1901 S 2nd St, McAllen, TX 78503.

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Jorge Gustavo Prendes

October 20, 2023