Rafael Pagan

Rafael Pagan of Nashville, TN passed away at the age of ninety-four, surrounded by his loved ones in his home on February 24, 2022.

Rafael served his country during the Korean War. He began his service in the US Army on September 18, 1950 and received an Honorable Discharge on November 14, 1956. Rafael was employed by Acme Fast Freight in New Jersey where he worked various positions over the span of 25 years; as well as the Holiday Inn at JFK airport in New York, where he received a 5 Year Service Award on October 28, 1992.

In 1993 Rafael and his late wife, Carmen, retired and moved to the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia to Gwinnett County. Five years later, they moved to Nashville with their daughter, Carmen, and her family.

While in Nashville, Rafael enjoyed participating in a Seniors Bowling League and earned several awards from the Play-Mor / Brunswick Recreation Centers. He enjoyed volunteering at St. Matthew’s Church in Franklin, where he was a parishioner and became a member of the Rosary Guild making rosaries for use in international missionary work. Additionally, Rafael was a volunteer for Catholic Charities’ Loaves & Fishes project in East Nashville for more than four years. In 2010, he was recognized by Catholic Charities of Tennessee with an Honorable Mention in their Volunteer of the Year Program. In 2011, Rafael was selected by Catholic Charities USA as its Volunteer of the Year.

Mr. Pagan found happiness in helping others, his relationship with God, and he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially the “little” ones; they brought him much joy. His wife, Carmen, preceded him in death in 2006. He longed to rejoin her in the afterlife and would talk fondly of their 57 years together as husband and wife.

Rafael is survived by his daughter Carmen Jablonski, and his two sons, Rafael, and Emmanuel Pagan, his six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, by whom he was known as “GG”.