Haydee Piñero Buck

Haydee Piñero Buck, daughter of Puerto Rico’s first native governor, a founding board member of Subway Sandwiches, mother, grandmother, and a friend to all whom she touched, died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, February 4, at her home in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Born on April 17, 1932, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Haydee and her brother Jose spent their early years in Canovanas watching their father, Jesus T. Piñero, develop a successful agricultural business that led to his interest in politics. His appointment to the governorship of the island by President Harry S. Truman in 1946 was always a source of tremendous pride for Haydee, and she carried on her work of serving the people of Puerto Rico after his death. Haydee graduated from the George School in Pennsylvania and then received her B.A. from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Later she received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Pace University in New York. From 1955 until 1977 she was married to Dr. Peter Buck. In the late 1950’s Haydee and Peter would form a friendship that would change the world. A chance meeting in a supermarket led to an introduction at a party, and The Buck’s friendship with Sal and Carmela Deluca, and their son Fred was born. Together, the DeLucas and Bucks went on to create Subway Sandwiches, a worldwide brand that continues to thrive. But as proud as she was of her part in the birth of Subway Sandwiches, she cherished her career as a social worker with the Westchester Department of Social Services even more. There, she helped the growing Spanish-speaking community in Port Chester, New York, gain a foothold in America. Her fluency in Spanish was not then as common as it is today, and she worked tirelessly with a burdensome caseload to bring services to the needy. Her compassionate spirit led her to bring the children of “her families” home to the country on weekends to experience the natural beauty and a different way of life. She was beloved by her clients, and she cared deeply for them. Westchester County honored her years of service by proclaiming Haydee Buck Day when she retired. Haydee returned to Puerto Rico in the 1990s. She built a home in Vieques and lived there part time each year for the rest of her life. She became involved in many civic groups and championed many causes on the island. She found great joy in both the people who were native islanders and the people who were part-timers. She found light wherever she went. During this time, Haydee and her brother Jose became aware that their childhood home in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, had been abandoned and was all but falling down. Along with the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture took it upon themselves to restore the house and turn it into a museum, Casa Piñero, that contains many artifacts from their lives, celebrates their father’s service to Puerto Rico, and presents a view of life as it was on the island in the 1930s. Haydee is survived by her son Christopher, her grandson Samuel, and her loving companion Roman. In recent years, Haydee was madly in love with her new grandchildren Simon and Oliver, who came to her with another new friend, Christopher’s fiancée Hara. Haydee left a legacy of love. Services will be held: • On Thursday, February 11, we will gather at Casa Pinero: Carr. 3, km. 15.4, Canóvanas, Puerto Rico, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. • On Tuesday, February 16, we will gather at the McHoul Funeral Home: 895 NY-82, Hopewell Junction, New York, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. • Finally, we will have a waterfront gathering at Sun Bay in Vieques on Friday, March 11, at sunset. Please visit Haydee’s Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.