Jose M. Lopez, PhD

Lopez, Jose M, PhD, of Placentia, California, died November 19th, 2012. He was 72. Dr. Lopez was born June 14th, 1940 in Fullerton. He is survived by his wife of 47 years Lupe, sons, Steve, Ronald, Maurice, and Emilio, and daughter Monica. He is also survived by his 11 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Dr. Lopez was a Professor Emeritus in the Chicano Latino Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach. He taught for 44 years and was at the time teaching a class on Gang Culture at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Dr. Lopez was a pioneer in the late 1960s and early 1970s in helping to create, write, and thus lay the curriculum foundation for Chicano Studies. Dr. Lopez drew his inspiration from his own life as a Chicano born to parents of Mexican descent. His later work on Gang Culture drew on experiences as a Chicano youth in the 1950s. He was, at the time of his passing, one of the foremost gang experts and author of Gangs: Casualties in an Undeclared War. Services will be on December 8th, 2012 at 10:00 AM at St Josephs Catholic Church in Placentia. Burial will be private. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to; Dr. Jose M. Lopez Scholarship Fund.