Amparo Machin

February 25, 1925 - August 15, 2017

Amparo Caignet Machin passed away on August 15, 2017 in Santa Barbara, California. The youngest of three daughters, Amparo was born October 25, 1925 in Baracoa, Cuba to Veremundo and Josefa Caignet, who owned coffee and banana plantations. She attended the Institute of Havana and upon graduating remained in Havana where she taught geography and history. In September of 1949 Amparo married attorney, Tomas Machin, becoming stepmother to his daughter Eyda, and in 1955 Tomas was born, followed four years later with the birth of Jorge Luis. In 1962 the rapidly deteriorating political situation in Cuba forced Amparo and Tomas to leave everything behind, and with their children they moved to the United States, initially settling in Miami. In 1964 the family was sponsored by St. Mark’s Methodist Church and relocated to Santa Barbara. The family have always been grateful to the church community for all the help they were given and the lifetime of friendships which supported them through both good and difficult times, including the deaths of Tomas in 1991 and Jorge in 2011. Initially Amparo worked at Mission Casket Company as a seamstress and Tomas worked as a janitor at Cottage Hospital. Eventually, Amparo became a secretary in the Pathology Department of Cottage Hospital and retired after 20 years and Tomas became the manager of the stockroom of the hospital and retired in 1983. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks to all of Amparo’s friends and the staff of Heritage House and Assisted Hospice Care who have been so supportive. Amparo is survived by son Tomas Machin and daughter-in-law Muriel Machin of Lompoc; granddaughters Diane Machin of Manhattan, and Denise Machin of Claremont; daughter Eyda Machin of Paris, France; and nieces Josefina Perez of Glendale, and Belkis Myer of Laguna Niguel.