Juan Ercilo Laboriel was born to the late Manuel Laboriel and Petronila Soliz on March 8, 1940 in Trujillo, Honduras. He immigrated to the United States in 1963. God called him home on Friday, September 6, 2024.
Juan’s commitment to his community began in his native Honduras, where he helped found the first Honduran Black organization. As a proud Garifuna, he fiercely fought against all forms of discrimination. The Garifuna people are the result of the fusion of two ethnic groups; one made up of the Carib and Arawak indigenous people, and the other made up the captive Blacks who came from Africa. The British deported them from the Island of St Vincent to Honduras in 1797. Juan carried this history proudly and advocated tirelessly for his people.
Juan Laboriel’s dedication to labor rights began in 1966 when he was elected to the executive board of the floor workers at the Furrier Joint Board Council. By 1968, he had been appointed an organizer for Local 251. His leadership continued to grow, and in 1974, he joined the Hispanic Labor Committee, eventually becoming its first vice president. In 1978, he became an International Organizer for the Amalgamated Meat Cutters Union. When the Meat Cutters merged with the Retail Clerks Union in 1979 to form the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), Juan was promoted to General Organizer. A few years later, he became an International Representative. He was ultimately appointed Assistant to the Regional Director of UFCW Region 1, serving as a liaison between the union and the community.
Juan’s dedication to social justice extended beyond the workplace. He was deeply involved with grassroots organizations and traveled on study tours throughout Latin America with the Hispanic Labor Committee. After retiring and relocating to Cape Coral, Florida, he remained committed to community service, becoming a member of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish in Cape Coral. He was also a proud graduate of Empire State Labor College.
Juan Laboriel was blessed with 57 years of marriage to his beloved wife, Ola Deyampert. Together, they raised two beautiful daughters, Suyapa and Nila Laboriel. He was preceded in death by his sister Telma Bernardez. Left to cherish Juan’s memories are his wife Ola Laboriel, his daughters Suyapa Laboriel and Nila Laboriel, his sisters Rosa Elena Bonilla, Teresa Arzu, and Esma Alvarez in addition to a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and great friends.
Juan’s legacy of leadership, compassion, and tireless advocacy for others will never be forgotten. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
Visiting will be Friday, September 27 from 4-8pm at Joseph A. Lucchese Funeral Home, 726 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx. Family and friends will gather at the funeral home on Saturday, September 28 at 9am with the interment following at Mount Hope Cemetery, 50 Jackson Avenue, Hastings-on-Hudson.
