Botanica Condo President Julius González Dead at 66

In this undated image provided by his family, Julius Gonzalez sits for a portrait (Gonzales family via Key News)

Julius Eladio González, the president of the Botanica Condominium, a lover of bebop jazz whose life’s journey was profiled in the New York Times, died June 4 after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. He was 66.

González, a financial analyst, worked for ExxonMobil and other large companies. He was born August 5, 1952 in New York and grew up in the Hamilton Heights section of the city’s Upper West Side. He and his sister, Madelyn Sperduto, were raised by Cuban immigrants from Holguín in the Oriente Province. His parents left Cuba in 1947 and supported their family as factory workers in New York.

“My father was always learning, asking questions, curious about everything. He had impeccable grammar. He was an amazing, loyal husband and wonderful father,” said his daughter, Alcione González.

González attended Columbia University and earned a bachelor’s in economics as a member of the class of 1973, and was a proud member of Omega Psi Phi. He was involved in campus activism at the height of the Vietnam War and maintained close relationships with many of his college pals throughout his life.

During freshman week, in a sarcastic attempt to fit in with the elite prep school grads who surrounded him at the Ivy League school, he nicknamed himself “Scottsboro Alvin Holmes” and was known to his closest friends as “Scotty Holmes” henceforth. The New York Times profiled him and several of his classmates in the influential Class of 1973 in late March (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/30/us/affirmative-action-50-years.html).

After college, González earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and began a career as a financial analyst and consultant in the oil, engineering and manufacturing industries for companies including ExxonMobil and PSEG that took him and his family to Bermuda, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Argentina and eventually South Florida.

One of his proudest business accomplishments was helping to lead Tecnoglass, a Colombian glass manufacturer, through an IPO in 2013. He was a resident of Botanica at Key Colony for 30 years. Continuing his community service and activism throughout his life, he served as the president of the Botanica Condominium Association and was a passionate supporter of Democratic politicians, especially Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, until his death.

González was a lifelong learner with a passion for inquisitive conversations, reading, traveling, golf and music, especially bebop jazz.  

In addition to his daughter, Alcione,  González is survived by his son, Carlos González, and his wife, Ana González. His family asks that anyone wishing to pay respects is encouraged to help pancreatic cancer patients by making a donation in his name to pancan.org.

[EDITORS’ NOTE: Bramson is the vice president and acting president of the Botanica condominium]