Kevin Douglas Mabry

Kevin Douglas Mabry was born on October 29, 1959, to Earle Franklyn
Roudolph Mabry and Ruth Alfrieda (Sorden) Mabry in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
“Big Kevin” and “Kevinito”, as he was affectionately known, grew up in
a large extended family, headed by his maternal grandmother, Ruth Anita White
Sorden (aka “Mother”). His father, Earle, cultivated Kevin’s love for cars, his
mother, Frieda, encouraged his love of music and adventure, and his step-father
John Peabody, Kendall and Kimberly’s father, influenced his love for sports,
developing within him a love of karate. His maternal aunts Gloria, Kitty, and
Sheila lent a loving hand in helping to raise him. He cherished his
siblings—Keith, Sheilah, Kendall and Kimberly—and was especially close to his
cousins Salvador, Stephen, Michael, David, Vickie, Sharon, Pam, Mark (Mookie),
Stacey, Christopher and Nicole (Nikki).
He grew up in various neighborhoods across New York City: Hell’s
Kitchen, and the Wilson Projects and Metro North Riverview in East Harlem in
Manhattan; Springfield Gardens and Hollis in Queens, and Walton Avenue in
the Bronx. He attended P.S. 111, I.S. 238, and Park East H.S. before joining the
Job Corps where he received his G.E.D.
Kevin had an infectious sense of humor, was a bit mischievous, and
loved to dance. As a teen and young adult, he could often be seen breakdancing
and doing the robot. He played basketball with Keith and others from the
neighborhood, but his greatest loves were backgammon and handball on the
courts of Dewitt Clinton Park in Hell’s Kitchen, the parks in Hollis, and the
schoolyard of P.S. 294 in the Bronx. The latter is where, in 1977, he met Ping
Moy, his first love. They later married and had their only child, “Lil” Kevin, in
1982.
Kevin worked as a maintenance person at Metro North Riverview
Apartments. He became a chef at Jezebel’s—Alberta Wright’s world-renowned
Southern cuisine restaurant—and also at Eatzi’s at Macy’s in New York City. In
1998, Heeding a friend’s advice, Kevin took a courageous leap of faith and
moved to Georgia for better work opportunities.
At his first job there, at Eatzi’s in Atlanta, he met Paulina, a
hardworking bread chef who he both admired and respected, and with whom
he shared a similar work ethic. She befriended him, offering him rides when she
realized that, if he missed a connection on his three-bus ride home, he would
be stranded. They became great friends and, later, life partners. After first
asking permission from Paulina’s mother and father, Kevin married Paulina, the
ceremony officiated by sister Kimberly.
Kevin, together with Paulina and her daughters, created a wonderful
family that brought him joy far from his original home. He talked often about
how much he respected Paulina’s immediate and extended family, both in
Georgia and México, how much they lifted each other up and worked and
sacrificed collectively to better the lives of all their niños and niñas and,
eventually, their nietos and nietas.
Here are just some of Kevin’s fondest memories. Making it to the
hospital in time to witness the birth of his son, Lil Kevin. Lil Kevin’s wedding to
Jillian 27 years later. Moving to Georgia and meeting and falling in love with his
amore, Paulina. Seeing his Georgia hijas grow up, marry and have children of
their own, and becoming a Pretio over and over again. Master-chef-ing
alongside Paulina at sister Sheilah’s wedding with Leslie. Holidays spent with
Paulina and their hijas Morena, Marta, Laura, Lorena, and their partners and
families. Working at Jezebel’s with brother-in-law Ronald. Attending the
quinceañeras of his nietas and spending time with all of his grandchildren. ALL
of the birthdays and Thanksgivings and Christmases! Being surprised by his
sisters when they brought Lil Kevin to Georgia for a visit. Another surprise visit
from sister Sheilah when he, Paulina and Sheilah celebrated their birthdays
along with Susana and Lil Raymond. A 2017 visit to Georgia from his
granddaughters Sage and Wynter, bringing together his New York City and
Georgia families. And the birth of his grandson, Justice, two years ago. Adopting
Manteca (Teca), his sheprador, baby-girl puppy, eight months ago.
Kevin loved working as part of the team at Bold American Catering,
with whom he served up quality and excellence while making people laugh and
feel at ease. He appreciated working with professionals from across the country
and around the world, mentoring and being mentored by folks of all ages. He
was eternally grateful to Paulina for introducing him to Bold, where his hijas
worked too.

Kevin also experienced a number of significant losses during his life: his
mother Freida’s death when only fifteen, the onset of older brother Keith’s
chronic mental health issues shortly thereafter, and grandmother Ruth Sorden’s
passing in 2006. These were compounded by the deaths of other family
members that he recounted profoundly impacted him, including Keith’s
unexpected death in May 2019 and the deaths, due to Covid, of cousin Victoria
and brother-in-law, Ronald.
Kevin’s transition out of this life started with family surrounding him,
thanking him and praying over him. He died at Northside Hospital in
Lawrenceville, Georgia, with his amore Paulina at his bedside. Paulina and Kevin
were so crazy in love that you always heard them call each other amore.
He is predeceased by his beloved mother Frieda, his devoted maternal
grandmother, Ruth Anita White Sorden, his maternal grandfather, Alfred M.
Sorden, his beloved father-in-law (el suegro), Francisco Torres Huerta, his
paternal grandparents, his nephew, baby Kendall, aunts Anita Butler and Sheila
Hunter, uncle Bert Hunter, cousins Eddie Alvarez, Michael Hunter, Eloy (Joey)
Pagan, Craig Pagan, and Victoria Hunter-Dukes, brother Keith Earle Mabry and
brother-in-law Ronald Wright.
Kevin is survived by his beloved wife Lora Torres Pérez Mabry; father
Earle Franklyn Mabry; mother-in-law (la suegra) Martha Perez Hernandez;
siblings Kendall, Sheilah, and Kimberly; nieces and nephews Tara, Travis, Naomi,
Kendall, Maya, Aaron, John Ralph; his aunts Kathleen (Kitty) and Gloria; son
Kevin, hijas Morena, Marta, Laura and Lorena; bonus daughter Lil Vicky; and his
nietas and nietos (the Georgia grandchildren) Sandy, Lucia, Raymond,
Stephanie, Natalie, Jessica, Emely, Sofia F., Sofia H., Ryan, Diego, Susana,
Enrique, Paulina; grandchildren Sage, Wynter and Justice; cousins Sharon, Pam,
Stephen, David, Salvador, Christopher, Nicole (Nikki), Stacey, Mark (Mookie),
Alexander, Arestead, Eddie, Cochise, Darryl, Jasmine, Malory, Lil David, Omar
and a host of loving family and friends; and Manteca (Teca), his baby-girl-puppy.

OBITUARIO
Kevin Douglas Mabry nació el 29 de Octubre de 1959, a Earle Franklyn
Roudolph Mabry y Ruth Alfrieda (Sorden) Mabry en Mount Holly, Nueva Jersey.
“Big Kevin” y “Kevinito”, como se le conocía cariñosamente, crecio en
una gran familia extendida, encabezada por su abuela materna, Ruth Anita
White Sorden (también conocida como “Madre”). Su padre, Earle, cultivó el
amor de Kevin por los autos, su madre, Frieda, lo animó a su amor por la
música y la aventura, y su padrastro John Peabody, el padre de Kendall y
Kimberly, influyó en su amor por los deportes, desarrollando en él, el amor por
el kárate. Sus tias maternas Gloria, Kitty y Sheila prestaron manos de amor y
cariño para ayudar a criarlo. Apreciaba a sus hermanos, Keith, Sheilah, Kendall
y Kimberly, y era especialmente cercano de sus primos Salvador, Stephen,
Michael, David, Vickie, Sharon, Pam, Mark (Mookie), Stacey, Christopher y
Nicole (Nikki).
Creció en varios vecindarios de la ciudad de Nueva York: Hell's Kitchen,
Proyecto Wilson y Metro North Riverview al Este de Harlem en Manhattan;
Springfield Gardens y Hollis en Queens y Walton Avenue en el Bronx. Asistió a
las escuelas PS 111, IS 238 y Park East HS antes de empezar a trabajar para Job
Corps, donde también recibió su GED.
Kevin tenía un sentido del humor contagioso, era un poco travieso y le
encantaba bailar. Cuando era adolescente y joven adulto, a menudo se le podía
ver bailando breakdance y haciendo el robot. Jugó baloncesto con Keith y otros
del vecindario, pero sus mayores aficiones eran el juego de chaquete y pelota
mano en las canchas del parque Dewitt Clinton en Hell's Kitchen, los parques en
Hollis y el patio de la escuela PS 294 en el Bronx. Este último es donde, en 1977,
conoció a Ping Moy, su primer amor. Más tarde se casaron y tuvieron su único
hijo, "Lil" Kevin, en 1982.
Kevin trabajaba como personal de mantenimiento en los apartamentos
de Metro North Riverview. Se convirtió en cocinero/jefe de cocina para el
restaurante Jezebel-Alberta Wright restaurante de comida sureña de renombre
mundial y también en Eatzi en Macy's en la ciudad de Nueva York. En 1998,
siguiendo el consejo de un amigo, Kevin dio un valiente acto de fe y se mudó a
Georgia en busca de mejores oportunidades laborales.
En su primer trabajo en Eatzi en Atlanta, conoció a Paulina, una
trabajadora panadera que admiraba y respetaba, y con quien compartía una
ética de trabajo similar. Ella se hizo amiga de él, ofreciéndole llevarlo a la casa
cuando se dio cuenta que si perdía una conexión de tres autobuses a casa, se
quedaría en la calle. Se hicieron grandes amigos y, más tarde, compañeros de
vida. Después de pedir permiso por primera vez a la madre y al padre de
Paulina, Kevin se casó con Paulina, ceremonia oficiada por su hermana
Kimberly.
Kevin, junto con Paulina y sus hijas, crearon una familia maravillosa
que les trajo alegría lejos de su hogar original. Hablaba a menudo sobre cuánto
respetaba a la familia inmediata y extendida de Paulina, tanto en Georgia como
en México, cuánto se apoyaban, trabajaban y sacrificaban colectivamente para
mejorar la vida de todos sus hijos e hijas y eventualmente, de sus nietos y
nietas..
Estos son solo algunos de los mejores recuerdos de Kevin. Llegar al
hospital a tiempo para presenciar el nacimiento de su hijo, Lil Kevin. La boda de
Lil Kevin con Jillian 27 años después. Mudarse a Georgia y conocer y
enamorarse de su amore, Paulina. Ver crecer a sus hijas en Georgia, casarse
tener sus propios hijos, y convertirse en Pretio una y otra vez. Maestro de
cocina junto a Paulina en la boda de su hermana Sheilah con Leslie. Vacaciones
con Paulina y sus hijas Morena, Marta, Laura, Lorena y sus parejas y familias.
Trabajando en Jezabel con su cuñado Ronald. Asistir a las fiesta de
quinceañeras de sus nietas y pasar tiempo con todos sus nietos. ¡TODOS los
cumpleaños, Acción de Gracias y Navidades! Ser sorprendido por sus hermanas
cuando llevaron a Lil Kevin a Georgia para una visita. Otra visita sorpresa de la
hermana Sheilah cuando él, Paulina y Sheilah celebraron sus cumpleaños junto
con Susana y Lil Raymond. La visita a Georgia en el 2017 de sus nietas Sage y
Wynter, reuniendo a sus familias de Nueva York y Georgia. Y el nacimiento de su
nieto, Justice, hace dos años. Adoptando a Manteca (Teca) su cachorrita, hace
ocho meses.
A Kevin le encantaba trabajar como parte del equipo de Bold American
Catering, con quien proveía calidad y excelencia mientras hacía reír a la gente y
sentirse a gusto. Apreciaba trabajar con profesionales de todo el país y de todo
el mundo, asesorando y siendo asesorado por personas de todas las edades.

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