GASBAR R. GONZALEZ SR.
Jan. 3, 1933-March 22, 2018
Gasbar Ramon Gonzalez Sr., 85, passed away Thursday, March 22, 2018, at Wayne UNC Health Care.
Gasbar was born in New York City, N.Y., Jan. 3, 1933, to the late Salvador Gonzalez, a surgeon graduate from the School of Medicine in Spain and Germany, and Antonia Maria Corzo Gonzalez, a concert pianist and school principal in Cuba.
He graduated from high school in Habana, Cuba.
Gasbar served in the United States Army for 22 years, and was an ex-Korean POW.
He was the first Hispanic to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Shaw University.
He worked in the private sector for 19 years.
Gasbar also worked for the state of North Carolina in several capacities, including the prison system, Employment Security Commission and mental health, and at present, he was serving as a magistrate for the Department of Justice.
Gasbar was the first Spanish bilingual employee of the Employment Security Commission.
He was also the first Spanish in this area to create a program at no cost to the government for minorities to receive medication and medical assistance by doing home visits.
Along with being the first Hispanic magistrate of North Carolina, he was the first Hispanic chairman of the Democratic Party in the state.
Gasbar received the Diamante Award for his help with Hispanics in the state of North Carolina and the Kattie Pomeran Award for outstanding service to Hispanics by "El Puebla."
Gasbar received several decorations from the military, as well as several commendations from the state of North Carolina, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
He was a member of the advisory board for Latinos for both the North Carolina governor's office and the Wayne County Commissioners, serving here as chairman of the board.
Gasbar was also a member of the WAGES board of directors, the Mental Health board, the Red Cross board for several years, the board of directors in Duplin County "Smart Start," the Community Affairs Board for the city of Goldsboro and a member of the advisory board for the Wayne County Health Department.
He was also a member of Wayne Masonic Lodge No. 112 A.F. and A.M.
A graveside service will be held Thursday, March 29, 2018, at noon at Eastern Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, with the Rev. Ryne Fullerton officiating. Military honors will follow the service.
Gasbar is survived by his son, Gasbar R. Gonzalez Jr. of Boca Raton, Fla.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lizzie, March 7, 2018.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Adamsville Baptist Church, 1302 N. Berkeley Blvd., Goldsboro, N.C., 27534.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on March 27, 2018 8:05 AM