Ignacio Hernández González
Long-time lakeside resident Ignacio (Nacho) Hernández González died November 14 at his home in San Juan Cosalá at age 80.
Hernández was born on November 5, 1937 in the city of Puebla. Raised and educated in Guadalajara, he completed studies in odontology at the University of Guadalajara. He went on to open a dentistry practice in Durango where he met Sylvia Flores, the ebullient registered nurse and midwife who soon became his spouse.
In 1974 the couple settled in San Pedro Tesistán on Lake Chapala’s south shore. Hernández set up a dental clinic in a room of their modest village home where he attended low-income patients with the same dedication provided to the numerous foreigners who trusted in his professional skills. He was admired by colleagues as a master of prosthetics and adored by patients for performing painless extractions.
Known as a jovial rebel spirit, Hernández followed an anti-establishment philosophy, opting for a simple lifestyle and philanthropy toward the underprivileged rather than the upscale privileges of working in “the system.”
He was a constant pillar of support for Flores, a local pioneer in the field of reproductive health and sex education who founded the Centro de Desarrollo Jocotepec.
Hernández is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years and their son, Ariel Hernández Flores. A memorial service and blessing of his ashes was held November 16 at the San Juan Parish. His remains will rest in the Raquet Club home where he spent the final years of a life well lived.