Remembering Claudio E. Ponce

Yesterday, Jorge Ponce's father, Claudio Emerio Ponce, passed away at the age of 87. Jorge is a friend of this blog and has been interviewed here as well as on Radio Mambi, sharing his perspective on Cuban-related issues. I'd like to take a minute to tell you about the elder Mr. Ponce and how he brought a little bit of Cuba to Washington's exile community (as well as to Americans) through his work with Casa Cuba.

Mr. Ponce, Sr. brought his family here from Cuba in 1966 and moved to the D.C. area. A native of Caibarien, he worked for the Ministerio de Haciendas (Treasury Department) as an accountant in Cuba and then in the US and became the president of Casa Cuba in DC. In this capacity he brought famous Cuban musicians to D.C. like Miguelito Valdes (Mr. Babalu), Celia Cruz and La Sonora Mantancera (the first time that they performed in the DC area), Xiomara Alfaro, Roberto Ledesma, Primitivo Santos and Vicentico Valdes. In 1976 he planned an event to mark the bicentennial of the United States which was held at the Kennedy Center and brought entertainment luminaries like Don Pedro Vargas and Fernando Albuerne to perform.

Mr. Ponce moved to Miami after he retired to escape the cold and the snow. He had suffered several strokes before succombing to heart failure. He is survived by his wife, Hilda Mencia de Ponce, his sons, Jorge and Mateo; his daughter, Teresita, and seven grandchildren. He will be remembered as a meticulous planner of social events, a man whose heart never forgot Cuba, and a great father.

We extend our condolences to Jorge and his family.

Cross posted on Claudia4Libertad.com

Posted by Claudia4Libertad at October 27, 2008 08:57 PM

Comments

Posted by: albertodelacruz at October 27, 2008 10:08 PM

Posted by: Cangrejero de Caibarien at October 27, 2008 10:08 PM