Sara Calvo Hernandez

Sara Calvo-Camara was born in Bilbao, Spain on November 8, 1935. The last of 5 children, she was born as Spain was entering a Civil War which severely affected her family as her mother, Gregoria Calvo-Camara, died soon afterwards and her father Anastasio Calvo, abandoned the family, leaving her to be raised by her older siblings in near poverty conditions. She would always remember being hungry with the only food primarily being garlic soup in the post-war years. Despite the daily challenges, Sara’s determination to succeed and overcome any hardship, resulted in her first job in Bilbao at the “Deutsche Schule Bilbao” or “Colegio Alemán de Bilbao” where she learned to speak German while working with the German students attending the school in the 1950’s.

It was while chaperoning a school trip with the German School to Cologne, Germany, that Sara met her future husband, Master Sergeant (MSG) Juan H. Hernandez on a stop in Bordeaux, France. Juan was a part of the U.S. Army stationed in France during the 1950’s. After a brief courtship, “Sarita” and “Johnny” were married in Bilbao on January 11, 1960. She immediately immigrated to the USA while pregnant with their first child. Not knowing a word of English when she came to America, she always liked to say that she learned her English by watching the “I Love Lucy” and “Mr. Ed” television show on the black and white TV in their tiny house in Fort Bragg.

During this time, her husband was deployed on numerous training exercises and Cold War crises typical of the 1960’s and their military assignments took them to Puerto Rico, Germany, Panama, Spain and the U.S.A. and her four children were born on various military bases: Juan Jose (1960) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Luis Fernando (1962) at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tomas (1963) in Fort Hood, Texas, and Marisa (1965) in Fort Hood, Texas.

Mama was a loving mother who did everything to ensure that her children would succeed in life and to set their goals high. Her love of America, sense of duty, and the opportunities that it had provided her family was of utmost importance. Moreso- because she had grown up in a dictatorship in Spain where opportunities were limited. She let her children know that every day as she was proud to be an American citizen.

At Sara’s insistence, when Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Hernandez finally retired from the Army in 1974, he retired in El Paso, Texas. Sara embraced this new life guiding her children’s education and growth and in supporting them in the many activities the schools and community had to offer. Whether it was music programs, marching band, sports programs, or community events, Sara proudly stood by her children. She found remarkable joy by diving into these opportunities available to them as she had been denied these same activities during her own childhood years. With her incredible energy, she simultaneously embarked on a new journey to pursue a career with K-Mart Corporation in Camera/Photo Sales and complete her Associate’s Degree in Applied Science-Photography, at the El Paso Community College in 1990.

Once the last of her children completed their undergraduate educations and embarked on their own careers, she took on a new life, joining the Spanish Club of El Paso, or “Club de España,” and

ultimately became the President of this service organization with members being from Spain who had immigrated to El Paso as well as local citizens from the area. Many of her lasting friendships were made during this time and the annual trips to Spain with Club members were legendary. Ultimately, her leadership was instrumental in the fundraisers that they conducted to provide school supplies and equipment to El Paso area schools. In the 1990’s and 2000’s, she was instrumental in organizing and contributing to setting up events celebrating Spain’s history in El Paso, whether it was the 400th Anniversary celebration of the arrival of Don Juan de Oñate to El Paso in 1598 or the erecting of “The Equestrian Statue” in front of the El Paso International Airport. She even flew to Washington, D.C. and met with the Spanish Embassy to petition the Spanish Government for funds to support the Club’s activities in El Paso. She did so successfully, leaving a lasting impression on the staff with her lively personality and commitment to the club’s goals to serve the community of El Paso.

Sara will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Her heart knew no bounds, and her home was the most joyous and welcoming place. Sara was an avid and brilliant cook with a love for traditional Spanish cuisine. She continued to embrace her love of the Spanish culture throughout her life by dancing Basque, Flamenco, and other regional dances. She was the best mother a child could have, a loving grandmother and great-grandmother and was always proud of her children’s accomplishments until the day that she passed away. She had a larger-than-life, vivacious personality and always left a lasting impression on anyone she met, and you never questioned what was on her mind or where you stood. “Spunky, hilarious, and full of vigor”, there was never a dull moment when anyone was around our dear Mama.

Sara was preceded in death by her husband, CSM (Retired) Juan H. Hernandez and is survived by her four children: Juan and his spouse Karin, Luis and his spouse Susan, Tomas and his spouse Pilar, and Marisa and her spouse Janet. She leaves behind four grandchildren: Sebastian, Isabel, Alexander, and Christopher, as well as four great-grandchildren Sadie, Turner, Everett, and Emerson. May she rest in peace.