Former chair at Rutgers—Newark dies at age 70

Elpidio Laguna-Diaz, former chair of the Department of Classical and Modern Language at the College of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers—Newark and professor emeritus of Spanish, died on Jan. 25 at the age of 70.

Laguna-Diaz became a part of the Rutgers—Newark faculty in 1972, and had served in various positions at the University over the course of his tenure, according to an obituary.

These roles included directing numerous papers for the honors program in the Iberian and Ibero-American major, serving as co-director of the Azores Archaeological Project in 2000 and serving as vice president of the International Society for the Comparative Study of Civilizations from 1998 to 2004.

He was distinguished by his studies, teaching and dedication to education of Spanish Medieval, Golden Age and 19^th and 20^th -century Spanish Peninsular literature.

Laguna-Diaz was widely published, and at the time of his death, was involved in the writing of multiple long-term projects, the obituary states.

Laguna-Diaz passed away at his South Carolina home, and is survived by his wife, Asela Rodrigez Seda, three daughters Asela Maria, Maria Eugenia and Alexandra Maria, their spouses, his brother Arturo Laguna-Diaz and seven grandchildren.

Donations may be sent to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies, Rutgers—Newark, Conklin Hall, for the creation of a Laguna Study Abroad Award.

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