In Memoriam:

Francisco Comarazamy, the long lasting leyend of Dominican and Latin American Journalism

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, August 5th 2012.— Francisco Comarazamy, the “old oak of journalism” passed away last sunday.

He was the father of the Norceca Press and Mass Media Commission coordinator Roosevelt Comarazamy who also serves as FIVB Press Delegate.

Mr. Francisco Comarazamy was a few months away to celebrate his 104th birthday at his home in the zone of Naco a district located in the city of Santo Domingo.

For 80 years he was a witness in the history of his native country and also became a mass media legend. He was 100 years old and he still used to write a column for the “Listin Diario”, a newspaper in which he served as Assistant Director, Vice-Director, Director and Editorial Vicepresident.

His knowledge and passion for literature and journalism were key to the formation of new generation of media professionals after working as Journalism teacher at the Central Eastern University.

In almost every newspaper in the Dominican Republic  like “La opinión”, “Diario de Macoris”, “La Nación”, “El Mundo” and “El Caribe” the name of Francisco Comarazamy is a reference.

He worked in all of them and also was one of the founders of “El Caribe” in 1948 and also was member of the Diplomacy as Press Attaché in the Dominican Consulate in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for four years (1948-1952).

“Don Coma”, another way how he was known as, wrote several books like “Experiencias de un periodista” (Experiences of a Journalist), “Comentarios de libros Dominicanos” (Comments about Dominican Books), “Más comentarios de libros Dominicanos” (More comments about Dominican Books) and “San Pedro de Macoris. Memorias” (San Pedro de Macoris. Memories).

In this last book he talks about the life in the city he was born, San Pedro de Macoris, where he also got his first job as professional journalist in the first decades of the Twentieth Century.

Along with his books, also received a lot of special awards and condecorations, like the Canoabo de Oro, the Medal of the Duarte, Sanchez and Mella Order as well as the Brilliant Star of China and the Merit of Korea.

He had three sons, Francisco, Daniel and Roosevelt, after his marriage with Aura Estela Medina, who passed away in 1987.   He died when he was taken by one of his sons to the Corazones Unidos Clinic in the Dominican capitol.

His long living career was an example of perseverance and  hard work that will remain forever. Rest In Peace.