City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Edgardo “Gary” Luis Hernandez
Raleigh, North Carolina
Age 71.
Died 05/08/2026.
Gary is survived by his devoted wife of 39 years, Nilsa Hernandez; his daughter, Meyling Hernandez; and his cherished granddaughter, Isla Hernandez, who brought immeasurable joy and light into his life. He is also survived by his brothers, Luis Hernandez, Harold Hernandez, and Deric Hernandez, as well as his sister, Annette Marrero. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Liza Marrero Escobar.
Gary was the definition of a dedicated family man — selfless, compassionate, supportive, understanding, and endlessly giving. He was the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need without hesitation. His love for his family was unmatched, and his granddaughter held a particularly special place in his heart. Time spent with those he loved most was what mattered to him above all else.
For 42 years, Gary dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his work with the United States Postal Service. He was known as an incredibly dependable and hardworking employee who rarely missed a day of work. In fact, those closest to him would often say he had to be truly sick to stay home. His work ethic, commitment, and passion for providing for his family were defining parts of who he was.
Gary embraced life fully and found joy in the simple, meaningful things. He loved baseball, fishing, cars, music, the outdoors, and especially the beach and ocean. He had a lifelong love for all kinds of music and was almost always singing a tune. Proud of his Puerto Rican heritage, he treasured the countless summers he spent in Puerto Rico as a child and carried that pride with him throughout his life.
As a young man, Gary was actively involved with the Boys Club in New York City, where he eventually became a camp counselor and director, positively impacting the lives of many young people. He also spent years playing on softball teams and enjoyed the camaraderie and joy the sport brought him.
Gary had a personality and style all his own. He preferred comfort over dressing up unless absolutely necessary, loved bright colors and sneakers, and carried himself with effortless authenticity. He was a true foodie with a soft spot for sweets, and anyone who knew him knew how much happiness good food brought him. He also loved turtles and felt deeply connected to the peace and beauty of the ocean.
Above all else, Gary will be remembered for his gentle heart, his unwavering love for his family, his infectious spirit, and the kindness he showed to everyone fortunate enough to know him. His presence brought comfort, laughter, music, and love into every room he entered.
Though his absence leaves an immeasurable void, the love, memories, and lessons he shared will live on forever in the hearts of those who loved him.
A Celebration of Life honoring Gary will be held on May 22, 2026. Please contact the family for service details.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$1596.75
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation with a private family viewing. A private family viewing allows up to 10 immediate family members or friends to spend time with a loved one when a public visitation is not preferred.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home offers Alkaline Hydrolysis. The Alkaline Hydrolysis process uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.