Ramon Platas

Ramón Platas, 92, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, passed away peacefully in his home on November 11, 2011, surrounded by his beloved family. Known for his charm, elegance, humor and sparkling wit, Mr. Platas was a family man, a sportsman, artist, amateur historian, gardener and prodigious writer and poet. An avid reader, his library included works from Plutarch to Arturo Perez Reverte, from Quevedo to John Grisham. A former journalist, he read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from cover to cover every day and was a connoisseur of the finely-written column. The son of Ramón Platas and Manuela Platas-Prado of La Coruña, Spain, Mr. Platas was born in Havana, Cuba in 1919 and completed degrees in both education and journalism. His love of learning was matched only by his love of baseball, a sport he learned to play on sandlots and continued to play as in adult leagues, acquiring a reputation as a hitter and excellent catcher. Though he was encouraged to try out for the major leagues, he chose to pursue his studies instead, a decision he never regretted. He married Luciana Fernandez in Havana in 1955 and had two daughters. As a journalist he was one of the first to be alarmed by Fidel Castro's changing politics and secretly conspired with the anti-Castro movement. He fled Cuba with his family and was granted political asylum by the United States in September of 1962. Like many refugees, Mr. Platas worked hard to regain financial footing, a search that took him from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he taught high school Spanish, to New York City. He recertified his degrees at Mercy College and St. John's University in New York to replace those that Cuba refused to verify, and later completed a PhD at Atlanta's Emory University. In 1972, Morris Brown College offered him a job as a Spanish professor, and the family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, finding a home at last. Mr. Platas loved his students, and through them became a passionate supporter of the civil rights movement. His fervor for baseball never waned and he became a loyal, ardent fan of the Atlanta Braves. He thrilled at his grandchildren's achievements, too, attending swim team meets, baseball and hockey games, and orchestra recitals. He was a wonderful teacher, a lifelong learner, a great editor. He leaves behind his wife of 56 years, Luci, as well as his daughter Berta Platas Rowe and her husband, Gary Rowe, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, his daughter, Laura Platas Scott and her husband, Tim Scott, of Greenville, South Carolina, and six grandchildren, Edward Fuller, Tony Fuller and his wife Alicea, John Fuller, Christina Fuller, Ben Scott, and Sam Scott, beloved nieces Carmen Platas Tarrab and Graciela Fallone of New York City, and nephew Tony Platas of Chicago, grandnieces Rachelle Tarrab and Melissa Tarrab and grandnephew Alexander Fallone and sister-in-law Carmen Platas. Mr. Platas is pre-deceased by his parents as well as his beloved brothers and sisters: Maria, Manuel, Aurora, José, and Antonio Platas. Family and friends gathered to celebrate his life on Sunday, November 13th and hope to one day spread Mr. Platas' ashes over his beloved Cuba. Wages & Sons 770-277-4550. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wagesandsons.com