Narciso Emilio Baez Pimentel, age 76, of Roxbury, formerly of Bani, Dominican Republic, passed away on November 22, 2021. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at The Cathedral of the Holy Cross 1400 Washington St. Boston's South End on Saturday November 27 at 10 am. Later on the same day, visiting hours will be held at the Brady & Fallon Funeral Home 10 Tower St. (Opp. Forest Hills MBTA Station) Jamaica Plain from 3-5 pm. Final funeral services and burial will take place in Bani, Dominican Republic.
Narciso Emilio Báez Pimentel nació en Cañafistol, Baní, la hermosa “capital del mango” de la República Dominicana el 18 de abril del 1945, siendo el más joven de una familia grande y unida, junto a sus hermanos y madre Siquita.
Un líder natural, Narciso ha dedicó su vida a su familia, su comunidad, a la gente de su querido “campo”, ya sea dirigiendo los negocios familiares o encabezando esfuerzos comunitarios para mejorar las condiciones de su pueblo a través las obras de la Asociación Pro-Bienestar de Cañafistol (ASOBIECA). Éstas incluyeron El Centro de Salud y la ambulancia, el parque, la iglesia, el pley, y el cementerio, entre otras. Se mudó a los Estados Unidos, donde fundó junto a sus coterráneos la “Asociación de Cañafisteros de Baní en Boston,” una organización que recaudará fondos para el desarrollo de su comunidad y su pueblo (como una nueva ambulancia), aún desde lejos. Para lograr sus metas, como presidente de la Asociación, organizaba gran giras familiares en los Estados Unidos, como hacía antes en República Dominicana.
Aunque se conocía siempre por su energía inagotable, su curiosidad intelectual, y por su don de oración que convertía palabras en arte, nada se compara al tamaño del corazón de Narciso y su preocupación por el prójimo y el amor a su familia y su tierra.
Tras 40 años de matrimonio, vivió en Boston con su esposa Hilda con quien crió cuatro hijos (Emilio, Ricardo, Oscar, y Elizabeth) y disfrutó de sus nietos (Christopher, Bianca, Alexander, Mia) —todos frutos de su apoyo, amor, y sacrificio.
Dominicano y sobretodo Cañafistolero de pura sepa, a Narciso le encantó la siembra, la política, la pelota (los Leones del Escogido y Boston Red Sox), el dominó, el casabe, los mariscos, y la horticultura.
En nombre de su familia y sus seres queridos tanto en Boston como en Cañafistol, que presenciamos cómo Narciso cosechaba y cultivaba unión y desarrollo a través de semillas de amor y dedicación a su pueblo, nos sentimos honrados por la decisión de Los Líderes Emprendedores de Cañafistol de reconocer sus esfuerzos al nombrar la “Biblioteca Cañafistol Narciso Báez.” Aunque tuvo que dejar de estudiar formalmente a la edad de nueve años para ayudar a mantener a su familia, a Narciso siempre le encantaba leer—se comía libros y periódicos a diario. Así que no hay mejor homenaje a su labor humanitario que un espacio dedicado a la lectura, aprendizaje, conocimiento, y empoderamiento comunitario.
The world has lost a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and humanitarian in Narciso Baez. On November 22, Heaven gained an angel.
Narciso devoted his entire life in service to others - especially to his family and his community in Cañafistol, Baní, Dominican Republic. His passion was community organizing, raising funds that built Cañafistol's first health center, church, clinic, baseball field, a cemetery, and park. After immigrating to Boston, he continued that effort, volunteering to raise money for a local ambulance in his hometown, providing life-saving support from thousands of miles away. He did so by organizing trips and activities where community members made new memories, together. He did so by working two jobs for decades to support his loved ones.
Following services in Boston, Narciso will be laid to rest in Cañafistol, where his community has decided to honor his legacy by opening a new community library in his name.
Although he stopped studying at the age of nine to help support his mother Siquita and family (as the youngest of 8), Narciso loved to read. His intellectual curiosity and knowledge--from politics to baseball--knew no bounds. There is no better tribute to his life and humanitarian spirit than to create a space dedicated to reading, learning, knowledge, and community empowerment.
Narciso passed peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones, and is survived by Hilda, his wife of 40 years, and his children Emilio, Ricardo, Oscar, and Elizabeth, his grandchildren Christopher, Bianca, Alexander, Mia, his brother Jose Maria, and his sister Flor Maria (La Negra), his sister-in-law Sandra, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.
A humble and kind man known for his boundless energy and ability to turn words into art, Narciso slowly lost his ability to speak in a cruel irony of life. Yet we know he won his years-long battle with Diabetes and Alzheimer's; until his dying breath, he recognized his loved ones and shed tears of pride seeing his children and grandchildren embody his American dream, and tears of joy when reminiscing about his beloved "campo" in the countryside of the Dominican Republic.
Papi, we owe you everything. We love you so much. You will be home soon.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to community library honored in his name in his birthplace, Canafistol, Bani Dominican Rebublic.