George Ramos, a three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times journalist and former Cal Poly San Luis Obispo professor has died. He was 63.
Police officers found George’s body in his Morro Bay home Saturday after a CalCoastNews colleague, where he worked as an Editor, insisted they break and enter to check on him after he hadn’t returned staff calls for several days.
According to CalCoastNews, George was suffering from increased complications from diabetes. It’s suspected his death is from natural causes. It’s unknown when he passed away.
George was a graduate of Cal Poly. A Vietnam war vet and Purple Heart recipient, he joined the LAT in 1978, working there 25 years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief, and columnist. In 1984, he won the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Meritorious Public Service, as part of the team that produced a three-week series of stories about the roots, lives and aspirations of the 3 million Latinos who lived in Southern California. He won his second Pulitzer in 1993, for on-the-spot reporting on the Rodney King riots. He picked up a third Pulitzer in 1995 for his on-the-spot reporting of the Northridge earthquake.
In 2003 he left the LAT to become of Cal Poly Journalism Department Chair – a role he held until 2007. He joined CalCoatNews as an editor in 2009.
George was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame in 2007.
This is sad news. I didn’t know George Ramos, but he certainly had a distinguished career in journalism.
Also, which Cal Poly did he attend? I’m assuming Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but there is also the sister university Cal Poly Pomona, of which I am a journalism graduate.
Thanks, and my condolences to the Ramos family.
Jessica Durkin
NAHJ Region 3 Director 2009-2011
Cal Poly Pomona Communications ’04
He was a professor at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He was such an inspirational professor. He loved Journalism and it was evident in every lecture. He will be missed. Rest in Peace George.