In Memoriam
Edward Gonzalez
Professor Emeritus of Political Science
UC Los Angeles
1933-2018
Edward Gonzalez, 85, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 in Calabasas after a brave 5-year battle with heart failure. He was born on February 25, 1933 in Los Angeles to the late Alba Piedra de la Concha of Cuba, and the late Manuel Pedro Gonzalez of the Canary Islands.
After attending University High School in Los Angeles, he joined the US Navy where he served as a Lieutenant J.G. during the Korean War. Afterwards, he attended UCLA where he graduated and later earned his PhD in Political Science. Professor Gonzalez began teaching at Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 1964 while working on his PhD dissertation. In 1967, he began teaching at UCLA in the Department of Political Science, Latin America Studies, specializing in Cuba until his retirement in 1995. In addition to being a Political Science Professor at UCLA, he was also a member of the Adjunct staff of the RAND Corporation where he was a policy advisor concentrating on US Foreign Policy between the US and Cuban governments. Professor Gonzalez became affiliated with RAND in 1969 and published his final report, “Cuba After Castro: Legacies, Challenges and Impediments,” for the research institution in 2004.
Over the last 40 years, Professor Gonzalez authored and co-authored many reports, studies, essays, articles and non-fiction books on Cuba and Fidel Castro, and on US/Cuba relations. In 2002, he became the published author of a fictional novel, Ernesto’s Ghost, a spy- thriller and love story set in Cuba during the 1970s.
Professor Gonzalez was the beloved husband of the late Millie Gonzalez. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Yolanda Gonzalez Porro. Professor Gonzales is survived by his daughter, Susan Gonzalez; his son, John Gonzalez and wife Jennifer; his grandchild, Nina Gonzalez; his nephew, Bruce Weiss; and companion/partner Beth Levin, along with many family members and many friends too numerous to list but not forgotten.
Evelyn Godinez
After attending University High School in Los Angeles, he joined the US Navy where he served as a Lieutenant J.G. during the Korean War. Afterwards, he attended UCLA where he graduated and later earned his PhD in Political Science. Professor Gonzalez began teaching at Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 1964 while working on his PhD dissertation. In 1967, he began teaching at UCLA in the Department of Political Science, Latin America Studies, specializing in Cuba until his retirement in 1995. In addition to being a Political Science Professor at UCLA, he was also a member of the Adjunct staff of the RAND Corporation where he was a policy advisor concentrating on US Foreign Policy between the US and Cuban governments. Professor Gonzalez became affiliated with RAND in 1969 and published his final report, “Cuba After Castro: Legacies, Challenges and Impediments,” for the research institution in 2004.
Over the last 40 years, Professor Gonzalez authored and co-authored many reports, studies, essays, articles and non-fiction books on Cuba and Fidel Castro, and on US/Cuba relations. In 2002, he became the published author of a fictional novel, Ernesto’s Ghost, a spy- thriller and love story set in Cuba during the 1970s.
Professor Gonzalez was the beloved husband of the late Millie Gonzalez. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Yolanda Gonzalez Porro. Professor Gonzales is survived by his daughter, Susan Gonzalez; his son, John Gonzalez and wife Jennifer; his grandchild, Nina Gonzalez; his nephew, Bruce Weiss; and companion/partner Beth Levin, along with many family members and many friends too numerous to list but not forgotten.
Evelyn Godinez
