Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y Alberni II (March 8, 1894 – May 31, 1973) was a Cuban politician and the father of

Desi Arnaz Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Love Lucy'', in whi ...

Early life

He was the son of Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y Alberni (1857–1929), a medical doctor (and grandson of Manuel Arnaz, a mayor of

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains t ...

in 1869), and Rosa Alberni y Portuondo (1870–unknown), a member of the Cuban nobility and the great-granddaughter of a mayor of Santiago de Cuba, José Joaquín Portuondo y Rizo, 1st Conde de Santa Inés (1762–1824). He graduated in 1913 from the Southern College of Pharmacy (merged and known now as

Mercer University Mercer University is a Private university, private Research university, research university in Macon, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1833 as Mercer Institute and gaining university status in 1837, it is the oldest private university in the s ...

, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences) in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Politics

Arnaz was the youngest mayor of Santiago de Cuba (1923–1932). He was elected to the Cuban House of Representatives in November 1932 for the

Oriente Province Oriente (, "East") was the easternmost province of Cuba until 1976. The term "Oriente" is still used to refer to the eastern part of the country, which currently is divided into five different provinces. The origins of Oriente lie in the 1607 di ...

. When president Gerardo Machado was overthrown in August 1933, Rep. Arnaz was arrested and jailed. Six months later, he was allowed to go into exile.

Marriages and children

Arnaz married Dolores "Lolita" de Acha y de Socias (2 April 1896 – 24 October 1988) in 1916 and had one son, Desiderio "Desi" Arnaz III. He later adopted Connie Arnaz (b. 10 June 1932), the daughter of Anne M. Wilson (12 June 1902 – 7 June 1994), whom he married in 1941.

Death

Arnaz died in 1973 in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

. He is entombed above President Machado at Caballero Rivero Woodlawn North Park Cemetery and Mausoleum.

References

* Lewiston Evening Journal; ''Father of Entertainer Arnaz Dies''; 1 June 1973. * Santa Cruz y Mallen, Francisco Xavier de; ''Historia de Familias Cubanas – Tomo Primero''; Editorial Hercules, Havana, Cuba; 1940. * Arnaz, Desi;'' A Book''; Morrow, 1976; . 1894 births 1973 deaths Members of the Cuban House of Representatives Mayors of places in Cuba Cuban emigrants to the United States Mercer University alumni Desiderio {{Cuba-mayor-stub