Jose Roque Fulco

Jose Roque Fulco passed away peacefully at his home on the 16th of October, 2024 after a life of nearly 97 extraordinary years.

Those who were lucky enough to know Jose knew him best for the remarkable traits he brought to his life: optimism , confidence, and strong opinions— of which he had many. Education was his guiding passion.

He left his home in Buenos Aires, Argentina at a young age, joining the military and learning to navigate the rugged Patagonian Andes. He met the love of his life at a dance as a teenager and declared then and there he was going to marry her, starting a love affair and partnership lasting 70 years. He brought his growing family to the United States where he taught himself English and earned a Doctorate in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

He continued his postdoctoral studies at Princeton University and was then recruited by the University of California where he continued his career in San Diego (1962) and Santa Barbara (1964). He served as Chairman of the Department of Physics at UCSB and as Director of the Education Abroad Program for the University of California. As Chairman, he elevated the Physics Department into one of the premier departments in the country.

It was in these roles that he traveled the world, visiting countless countries, establishing many lifelong friendships across diverse cultures. It seemed there wasn’t a city in the world he couldn’t tell you about or, more importantly, give you a restaurant recommendation for.

While his personal and professional achievements are too many to list, the thing he was most proud of in life was his family—his beloved wife Edith and their five children, eleven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren, who will all miss him dearly.

We will be reminded of him by the things he loved most—travel, sailing, skiing, and tennis, an adventure to a new place, a cappuccino shared with friends, a long lunch followed by a longer dinner, a glass of good wine, an Argentine tango, and a conversation filled with laughter, shared by the people you love.

Memorials please to the Special Olympics, a charity he held dear.