Fernando Arango

Fernando Arango, 71, of Davie, Florida, died on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at Holy Cross Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 916 East Rusholme Street, Davenport.  Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport.  The family will greet friends from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the Mass Tuesday in the gathering space at church.  Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Fernando was born on November 10, 1947 in Matanzas, Cuba, a son of Laurentino and Marina T. (Villa) Arango.  Early on, Fernando was destined to a life in baseball.  He started off as the top pitcher on the Cuban Little League Championship team which was to play for the Caribbean Title.  He was so good that the Boston Red Sox offered him a contract at the age of 14.  The family instead ended up taking the opportunity to leave Cuba for the U.S. in 1962, specifically Iowa City and then Mt. Pleasant, where they made their home for 5 years and he was a standout pitcher in High School and American Legion summer ball.  It was during this time in Mt. Pleasant he met the love of his life, Marcia.  He eventually moved on to the University of Iowa where he held the E.R.A. and Saves record for decades.

Fernando was united in marriage to Marcia Mann on August 3, 1968 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Houghton, Iowa, Marcia’s home parish.  They were blessed to renew their vows this past August on their 50th anniversary.

Fernando’s passion for baseball was evident in that he made a career of it.  He got his start as pitching coach at the University of Iowa from 1975-1978, and then spent 1979-1991 as head coach of Cleveland State University. In 1992, he was pitching coach for the Oneonta Yankees. He was also a scout for the New York Yankees from 1992-1995, and then held the same position with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1996-2000. In 2003, he joined the Milwaukee Brewers as a north Florida area scout. He was promoted to Coordinator - Latin America then to Director of Scouting for the Dominican Republic.  He retired in 2015 from baseball after spending the previous 3 years as a Crosschecker for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Survivors include his wife, Marcia, son, Anthony J. Arango, both of Davie, Florida; mother, Marina Arango; an uncle and 2nd father figure, Dr. Jose Villa, Stamford, Connecticut, siblings: Luis “Louie” Arango, Davenport, Laurentino Arango, Stamford, Connecticut, Lizette (Hank) Beltram, Lebanon, Connecticut, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, an aunt who was like a 2nd mother, Iraida Burke, and a grandmother, Marina Villa Iglesias.  May they rest in peace. Online remembrances and condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Fernando’s obituary at www.hmdfuneralhome.com .