Carlos Zacarias Gomez

June 10, 1944 – December 16, 2025

With profound sadness yet deep gratitude for a life richly lived, we announce the peaceful passing of Carlos Zacarías Gómez-Duarte on December 16, 2025, at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, surrounded by the love of his family.

Born on June 10, 1944, in Benjamín Acevál, Paraguay, on the eastern edge of the vast Gran Chaco, Carlos was the third of ten children, the first son of Pelagio and Daniella Gómez-Duarte, both now deceased. From his earliest days, Carlos carried the quiet strength and resilient spirit that would define his extraordinary life.

A man of unwavering courage, Carlos fought in the underground resistance against the dictatorship of General Alfredo Stroessner. As a journalist, he fearlessly spoke out against the regime, even after sustaining injuries in the struggle for political freedom for Paraguay.

Gifted with an exceptional ear for languages—he spoke five fluently—Carlos was recruited by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to help compile a dictionary of his native Guarani, preserving a vital part of Paraguay’s cultural heritage. He earned his master’s degree at Brigham Young University, then served with the Peace Corps in the United States and across South and Central America, teaching Spanish and culture.

Returning to the United States, Carlos dedicated himself to teaching Spanish language and literature. He settled in San Diego, where he became a beloved professor at Palomar College in San Marcos, from where he retired as Professor Emeritus. It was there, amid the classrooms and corridors he loved, that he met the love of his life, Andrea Ferentinos. They married and built a partnership filled with tenderness, laughter, and mutual admiration.

In 2000, Carlos received the gift of a heart transplant. For the next twenty-five years, he and Andrea were fondly known as the “King and Queen of 5 West,” the transplant floor at Sharp Memorial. Andrea wishes to express her deepest gratitude to Dr. Brian Jaski and his staff at San Diego Cardiac Center for their compassionate and loving care of Carlos over three decades.

Soft-spoken yet profoundly strong, Carlos was a charismatic educator, poet and writer whose influence touched countless lives. He and his dear friend Janet R. Hafner created and hosted Conversamos, a popular Spanish language TV program for Palomar College that aired for decades. Carlos authored many successful college textbooks, and published cherished collections of poetry and short stories that reflected his humanity, his lyrical soul and his deep and abiding connection with Paraguay.

Carlos leaves behind a legacy of love and inspiration. He is survived by his beloved wife, Andrea Ferentinos; his children from his first marriage—sons Carlos Daniel (Angelica) and Oscar David Gómez, and daughter Kali Cape; his cherished stepchildren, Erik Ferentinos and Candace Blankenhorn (Tom); and his adored grandchildren, Penelope Thérese and Alejandro Carlos Gómez, and Chloe Francesca and Madison Alexandra Blankenhorn.

Though he has left this world, Carlos’s gentle voice, courageous spirit, and enduring words will live on in the many hearts he touched. He will be dearly missed and forever remembered.

The mass and memorial will be private.