The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-21
ROBERT E. GONZALES

When dispatch to the Star We'd
nesday afternoon told of the death Of
the above-named young man, we felt,
altho we never met him, that we had
lost a personal friend.
Many times in the past few years
we have reveled in his witty and SEN
sible paragraphs-few men having
his talent to write so much in so few
words.
The passing of this young man is
an inspiration to the other young men
of America. He was well placed and
life's broadcast highway opened fair
before him. His country called and
he answered He left his congenial
task and his comfortable home and
went forth to the strenuous work and
rough life of the soldier. From a
place high in his high profession, he
stepped down to take the orders of
men who the day before would have
been proud to receive bare notice
from his pen.
More than the average man he
knew what lay before him. He knew
he not only faced the certainty of
hard work and privation but the dan
ger of wounds, sickness and death.
The latter two have come to him. He
has died as truly for his country as
though he had fallen on the battle
field, and from what we know of his
people we have no doubt that he clos
ed his eyes on life bright with
promise without complaint.
Life is great thing, but only great
in those who hold it of little value be-
side their duty to their country, their
loved ones, their friends or a great
cause. The spirit that imbued
Robert E. Gonzales is Americas
brightest jewel and her greatest safe
guard.
The following brief sketch of Mr..
Gonzales is from the pen of his one
time associate, Mr.. Louis H. Chazal.
who worked for some years on the
State, and who now often does special
work for the Star.
The death of Bob" Gonzales is a
loss to journalism and to his country
Having within short space gained
nationwide prominence as para
grapher on the State, Columbia, S. c.,
he did not hesitate to leave his desk,
on the top floor of the State building,
and go to the border as a private in
the ranks of the Second South Caro-
lima regiment. For efficient and dis
tinguished service as soldier he was
made a sergeant, and was appointed
historian of his regiment. He died in
the base hospital at Fort Bliss, Ell
Paso.
"Bob," as he was known to those
who worked with him on the State,
was of most modest and retiring
disposition. He spent most of his
time at his desk. His success may be
attributed to his earnestness and sin
cerity. There was a serious purpose
behind his wit and humor. His par
agraphs were quoted in almost every
issue of the Literary Digest, and
among those to give him high praise
was Franklin P. Adams, of the New
York Tribune, one of the best known
and most successful "columnists" in
this country. Bob's loss will be dis
tinctly felt bV the nara praphers on
the newspapers of the South, who de-
lighted in exchanging shots with him.
Many Photographer knew Robert E.
Gonzales, who never met him.
Away from his desk he lived quiet
ly. He lived wrapped up in his work.
He did not care at all for things so
cial. He had a few pals, with whom
he enjoyed himself, giving himself up
to his hobbies. He was an enthusiast
tic baseball fan, and was exceedingly
fond of good music and the theater.
No one can take the place of Old
Col. Aftermath on the staff of the
State. No one will feel his loss more
than his uncle, Mr. Ambrose Con-
zales, president of the State Publish
ing Co., than whom there is no finer
or bigger man in this country.
Robert E. Gonzales was the only
son of Capt. W. E. Gonzales, now
United States minister to Cuba.