by MICAH PASCUA
FORMER ARTLET lecturer and esteemed historian Luis Camara Dery died on Monday, July 31.
He was 77 years old.
Dery passed away at 5:30 p.m. at his residence in Diliman, Quezon City, his son David Elijah told The Flame in an email interview. According to David Elijah, the historian succumbed to acute respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia.
Fellow historian and academic Xiao Chua mourned Dery’s death in a Facebook post, describing him as one of the greatest Filipino historians.
Dery taught history at De La Salle University (DLSU) for 20 years. He accepted an offer to teach at UST after retiring from DLSU in 2016, according to an article by The La Sallian.
Dery was also president of the Philippine Historical Association, the country’s oldest professional association of historians, from 2013 to 2014.
The late educator gained several national awards and nominations for his books.
Among the books that Dery wrote were From Ibalon to Sorsogon: A Historical Survey to 1905, The Kris in Philippine History: A Study of Moro anti-Colonial Resistance, Awit kay Inang Bayan: Ang Larawan ng Pilipinas ayon sa mga Tula’t Kundiman na Kinatha noong Panahon ng Himagsikan and When the World Loved the Filipinos and Other Essays on Philippine History.
Dery’s wake will take place at the Loyola Memorial Chapels and Crematorium, Commonwealth until August 4. F
