Remembering Sabine Henry of Central American Produce

Sabine Henry, tropical manager and salesperson at Central American Produce for almost two decades, passed away August 30.

Henry died shortly after a cancer diagnosis, leaving behind her mother and two children, Michael Warren, president of the Pompano Beach, Fla.-based company, said in a news release.

“Anyone who knew Sabine Henry knew how much she loved her family, how much she cared about the people and the community in which she lived and saw first-hand her passion for the fresh produce industry throughout her career,” he said.

Before her 19 years at Central American Produce, Henry worked at Great American Farms for a decade, Warren said in the release. She began her career receiving mangoes from Haiti, counting boxes and inspecting the mangoes as they were air flown in.

Then Henry came to Central American Produce and became known as the Mango Queen, but not only because she was a great saleswoman.

“She loved each and every one of her customers not just as colleagues, but also as friends,” Warren said in the release. “From the shippers at source through delivery to her cherished customers, she had a significant impact on the entire supply chain. Sabine would not only get to know them professionally, but she would also learn about their background, their children and families and the things that mattered most to them outside of produce.”

In the office, her laughter and jovial remarks fueled positive energy each day, but she was also a force to be reckoned with, Warren said. Henry relentlessly negotiated for the best value for the company.

During work events, Sabine was the life of the party, singing karaoke, telling jokes, and she was selfless too. At Thanksgiving time when the company donated turkeys to families in need, Sabine was the first to volunteer to take the Thanksgiving boxes to several families each year.

She was passionate about making the company the best it could be too.

“Several times throughout the year, Sabine would sit with me after hours and talk with me about her visions of how to improve our organization,” Warren said in the release. “These moments were always very eye-opening for me as she had such creative and innovative ideas for the company in which she worked.”

The family has requested to have their time to mourn in peace. At a later date, for those who have expressed interest, the Central American Produce can provide information on Henry’s favorite charities. The in-person memorial service will be kept private due to the health risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual service is planned for Sept. 10, at lpxlaurie.wixsite.com/sabine.