Obituary of Jorge L. Hernandez

Jorge Luis Hernandez died on March 10, 2025 in Utica, NY with his family by his side.

    Mr. Hernandez was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico on February 25, 1951.  He was the son of Pablo and Blanca Hernandez.  Jorge moved to New York City in 1955.

    He attended St. Rita’s grammar school.  Jorge then attended Christian Brothers Academy in New York City.  He excelled in his studies, winning many academic awards and was very active in community service and graduated Valedictorian of his high school class.

    Jorge then applied and was accepted at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY.  While at Hamilton he majored in French and received New York State certification to teach.  Upon moving back to New York City he taught for a short time.  Jorge then applied and was accepted at Columbia University and received his master’s degree in education.

    A new career path began in 1974 when Jorge took a journalist position as copy editor for the new magazine People.  He excelled and was soon made copy chief at the then popular People Magazine.

    Home (Clinton, NY) brought him back to upstate New York in 1977 when he married Clintonian and Kirkland College graduate Carol Ferguson, who he met while at Hamilton College.  They married in 1977 and had two wonderful children, son Lucas Paul and daughter Caitlin Ferguson.

    Jorge’s journalistic career was not yet complete—he worked at Syracuse’s Post Standard newspaper followed by an editor’s position at the Utica Observer Dispatch where his weekly interest columns were enjoyed by many.

    His latest area of employment was teaching language in area schools.  He also worked at Hamilton College as the necrologist for their college magazine and later tutored Hamilton College students with their writing.  Still on a quest of learning, Jorge attended and graduated from Albany Law School. 

    Jorge was known for his love of orchids, creative and beautiful knitting, crocheting and needlepoint. 

    A very learned man and hard worker, he will be sadly missed by his wife Carol, daughter Caitlin, (always on his mind was the memory of his son Lucas who died much too early in 2014), granddaughter Olivia, her mother Adriane and her husband Mark, cousins Marge, Ralph, Judy and Patty, who kept in constant touch with him, extended family, former Hamilton College tutoring students, especially Gianni Hill, former colleagues and friends (Bill Draper was his best friend of many decades) and loyal caregiver and friend Chris Clark, who gave him great care and much comfort in his final year at home. 

    A celebration of his life will take place in the spring on a sunny, peaceful day.