Hugo Demetrio Roman

Hugo Demetrio Roman, formerly of New York, passed away peacefully on Saturday July 1, 2017 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He was born to Delia Roman and Jose Angel Acevedo in Pinar de Rios, Cuba on December 22, 1935. In 1958, at 23 years of age, Hugo escaped from a vastly changing political climate in Cuba. Along with his brother in law, a pilot, Hugo boarded a crop duster and the two flew out over the ocean making an emergency landing in the Bahamas when their plane ran out of fuel. Shortly, thereafter they were allowed to proceed to the United States. Once in Miami, Hugo became part of the movement among Cuban exiles to overthrow the Castro regime. Hugo joined the Brigade 2506 and was sent by the United States Government and the CIA to be trained to operate tanks in Guatemala and Nicaragua. On April 17, 1961 he became part of the Bay of Pigs invasion effort to liberate Cuba from Castro; (Brigade 2506 identification number 2817). Within 3 days of the invasion on Cuban shores, the mission failed. Many fighters were killed, few were rescued by American forces, but most were captured and imprisoned. Of those imprisoned many were tortured and executed. Hugo was held as a political prisoner for nearly two years. Due to an agreement reached in December of 1962 to exchange political prisoners for 53 million dollars in food and medicine, 1,113 prisoners were released and sent to the United States including Hugo. Since then, there remained an open wound in his heart for his family left behind and country of birth. Hugo quickly embraced life in the United States working as a busboy in Manhattan, and many odd jobs. For Hugo it was never about making ends meet it was about creating, thriving, and doing the best you could. Soon he became an entrepreneur and invested in many different types of businesses at one time owning a movie theatre, a gas station, an apartment building, a restaurant, a night club, and a furniture store to name a few. In December 5, 1979, Hugo proudly became an American Citizen. Hugo was a fighter, living with multiple ailments – including surviving cancer twice. He was a masterful chess player, dominoes player, and loved to play board games with his kids. Hugo was a joyful person who loved music and he was an incredible dancer. Hugo is the loving father of: Hugo Roman Jr - deceased Jacqueline Roman Alexander Roman Marilyn Roman Elvis Roman Miguel Roman José Roman Astri Gitmez Onell Roman Kevin Roman Sonja Roman-Molina Shara Broughton Shelo Roman Sophia Roman He is also survived by his siblings: Marcelina Martinez, Alejandro Esquivel Roman, Olga Esquivel Roman, Ricardo Esquivel Roman, Lydia Esquivel Roman, Mercedes Esquivel Roman and Raquel Blanco. Friends and family may call on Friday July 7, 2017 at 4:00 pm to 8:00pm with catholic prayer services at the Bensing-Thomas Funeral Home, 401 North 5th Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. After the service, family and friends are invited to attend a short gathering at the American Legion in 201 E. 5th St. East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests that donations be sent “in Memory of Hugo Roman” to the Meals on Wheels Program of Monroe County. Online gifts can be made through www.monroemeals.com/donate/ and include in the instruction area “in memory of Hugo Roman / notice to be sent to Jacqueline Roman” Gifts in the form of checks can be mailed to: Meals on Wheels of Monroe County, 9 North 9th Street, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. Place a memo on the check that the gift is made “in memory of Hugo Roman / notice to be sent to Jacqueline Roman.”