Dr. Esther Mocega-Gonzalez

Professor Esther Mocega-Gonzalez was born in Placetas, Cuba, on the 24th of February 1920. She returned home to the arms of the Good Shepherd peacefully on Wednesday, the 22nd of August 2018, surrounded by the love and care of her sisters.

Esther Mocega-Gonzales was preceded in death by her parents, Elena Gonzales and Belen Mocega; her brothers, Alberto and H. Belen Mocega. She is survived by her brother Juan Antonio Mocega and his wife, Mireya; her sisters, Emma Mocega Prado, Elena Mocega, Elsa Mocega, Ena Mocega, Esther Mocega Kempen (husband Dr. Rene Kempen). In addition, she is survived by three nieces, Lidia Elvira Medina, Teresa Alvarez and Dr. Esther Caroline Kempen; and five nephews, Carlos Alberto Mocega, Julio Armando Mocega, Dr. Juan Antonio Mocega, Jorge Mocega and Dr. Alejandro Mocega.

Dr. Esther Mocega–Gonzalez was born on the 24th of February 1920, in Placetas, Las Villas, Cuba. For her primary and secondary education, she attended schools in her native city of Placetas. She received her advance education at the School of Philosophy and Letters at Havana University where she graduated with a Ph.D. in Filosofia y Letras. In 1958, after rigorous competition, she obtained a faculty position at the School of Philosophy at the Central University of Las Villas. In 1959, she was selected by the Ministry of Education of Cuba to be the Director of the Department of Secondary Education for the province of Las Villas, Cuba. Later, she was assigned to the Ministry of Education of Cuba where she held the position of Director of Secondary Education at the national level. At the end of 1961, she resigned from that position.

In 1962, she emigrated from Cuba to the United States where she took up residence in Chicago, Illinois. That same year, she began teaching Spanish and Hispanic American Literature as a faculty member of the Language Department at Northern Illinois University.

In 1969, she enrolled in the Spanish Department at the University of Chicago. In 1972, she achieved her goal of obtaining her second Ph.D.

Dr. Esther Mocega-Gonzalez published essays related to several distinguished Hispanic American writers. These writers include: Juan Rulfo, Julio Cortazar, Reinaldo Arenas, Julian del Casal, Alejo Carpentier, Alfonsina Storni, Garcia Marques, Egon Wolff, etc. She has published four books, one in Cuba and three in the United States. She is well known, both nationally and internationally, for her contribution and participation in regional, national and international literary conferences.

Dr. Esther Mocega-Gonzalez was a member of the following professional groups: Instituto Internacional de Literatura Iberoamericana; Modern Language Association; American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese; Circulo de Cultura PanAmericano, Capitulo de Houston, Texas; Grupo de la Historia de Cuba, Houston, Texas; Board Member, Institute of Hispanic Culture, Houston, Texas, 1991-1993; and Chair, Jose Marti Awards, Sponsored by the Institute of Hispanic Culture, in 1991, 1993, 1995.

Esther’s family would like to express their thanks to the following doctors and caregivers who made it possible to take care of during her long fight against Alzheimer's: Dr. John Stroehlein, Dr. Stephanie Mundy, Dr. Gutavo Roman, Dr. Morgan, Ms. Lydia Sorriano, Ms. Norma Rodriguez, Ms. Gladys Rodriguez, Ms. Nidia Mejias, Ms. Maria Ruano.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation and reception with the family from three until four o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 26th of August, in the Jasek Chapel and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where a vigil service is to commence at four o’clock led by the Rev. Giovanni Nguyen, followed by a recitation of the holy rosary.

A mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at half-past ten o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 27th of August, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 11720 Joan of Arc Drive in Houston, where the Rev. Giovanni Nguyen will celebrate.

Rite of Committal is to follow, via an escorted cortège, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Esther’s name be directed to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10001. https://alzfdn.org/support-us/donate/