Carlos G. Noreña died on Monday, July 4th, at the age of 85, from complications following a stroke. Husband, father, grandfather, professor emeritus, and friend to countless members of the community, he will be dearly missed.
His life took him all over the globe, from Spain, his native country, to Japan, Germany, and San Diego, but his happiest years were spent in Santa Cruz, where he moved in 1967 to take up a position as assistant professor of philosophy at UCSC. He remained at UCSC until his retirement in 1996, serving as provost of Stevenson College from 1991 to 1994.
A beloved teacher, his most popular course was Philosophy 11, an Introduction to Philosophy, in which several generations of students listened to his lectures on the giants of the western tradition, from Plato and Aristotle to Russell and Wittgenstein. The major subject of his scholarly work was the Spanish Renaissance philosopher Juan Luis Vives [1492-1540], about whom he published several books and a number of articles. But his true passions always lay in teaching and in fostering the social and intellectual life of Stevenson College.
Born at El Escorial, near Madrid, Spain, in 1925, he grew up during a turbulent period in Spain's history, barely surviving the Spanish Civil War [1936-1939]. Shortly after World War II, he undertook several years of missionary work in Yokohama, Japan, and Würzburg, Germany, where he received advanced degrees in theology, classics, law, and philosophy. He moved to San Diego in 1963. Three years later he became an American citizen, and in 1967 was awarded his PhD in philosophy from UCSD.
In San Diego he also met his future wife, Mary, whom he affectionately called Maria. They were happily married for 47 years. In his retirement, he developed a strong interest in early US history, and later wrote a weekly blog that offered philosophical and historical perspectives on current events. In the rest of his free time, he enjoyed cooking [paella, a traditional Spanish dish, was his specialty], reading, watching sports [he was a loyal fan of the 49ers], and above all spending time with family and friends, who will never forget his warmth, humor, generosity, and kindness.
He is survived by his wife; by his daughter, Victoria, and son, Carlos; by five grandchildren; and by a host of nephews, nieces, and other relatives in Spain.
