Ricardo Gil

Ricardo Gil was born to María de Jesus Cabrera and Casimiro Gil on June 9th, 1945, at his home in San Luis, Pinar del Río, Cuba, and died on Saturday, February 8th, 2025, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland, Oregon, with his children by his side. He spent his early years in San Luis, until he moved to Habana when he was eleven years old. There, he lived with his aunt Rita and uncle Jesus, where he worked in their business selling fruits, vegetables and poultry and attended school. He studied with the De La Salle brothers in Marianao, until he left Cuba at the age of fifteen in January 1961, with several of the brothers and other students. They passed through and stayed in Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. He immigrated to the United States in 1964 and eventually settled in the Newark area in New Jersey, where he lived most of his life.

He finished his undergraduate education and received a master’s in clinical social work, leading to a long career in the New Jersey Public School system, as a youth therapist and counselor. Ricardo´s interests were vast. He loved languages, theater, mathematics, literature, theology, psychology, art, music (particularly Cuban music), baseball, film, and physics, just to name a few. Ricardo was able to hold a conversation on any topic with fluency, facts, evidence and humor. He was a remarkable source of knowledge and an advocate for social justice.

Ricardo lived in Portland, Oregon since 2020. The last 5 years he spent time with his family, making them smile and laugh every day. He met wonderful friends throughout the city, but particularly at the Saint Charles Church.

Ricardo is survived by his sisters Margarita, Alicia (Mercy) and Maria; his children Eleanor and Richard; his grandchildren Luisa, Mila, Elias and Marcelo; his son in law John and his daughter in law Gabriela, and his nephews and nieces.

Ricardo leaves a legacy of kindness, and solidarity towards neighbors and love to his family.

May he rest in peace.