July 27, 1937 - February 26, 2025
Jose A. Debasa, the first lay person to head the financial operations of the largest Roman Catholic Archdiocese in the U.S., the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, passed away peacefully at home on February 26, 2025.
A lifelong devoted Roman Catholic, Jose was the son of his beloved parents, Jose and Maria Debasa of Havana, Cuba. In Cuba, he was educated by De La Salle Order Brothers in his formative years and did his undergraduate work in Economic Sciences. Jose culminated his education in the United States via the Jesuit, Santa Clara University earning a Master of Business Administration.
Before coming to the United States, his professional endeavors encompassed banking in Cuba and executive in a large manufacturing business in Spain. He immigrated to San Jose, California, in the early sixties, where he established himself at the Santa Clara University, ascending through several financial positions to become the Vice President for Business and Finance in 1974. After 20 years in Santa Clara University, Jose became the Chief Executive Officer and General Partner of Westland Investments, a diversified real estate investment company.
In 1985, then Archbishop Roger Mahony offered him the position of Archdiocesan Finance Officer for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Jose served as the Chief Financial Officer for Cardinal Roger Mahony until his retirement in 2002. One of the services he was most proud of was recruiting donations to build the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles. He felt it was a legacy to his career personally and for the people of Los Angles and beyond. Jose was an active member as a board of director/officer in over 35 religious, charity, medical, business, education and financial entities.
After retiring in 2002, Jose and his wife Pauline traveled extensively throughout the globe; especially to Spain to visit with his extended family in Galicia and to Miami to visit his lifelong best friends.
Jose was a very knowledgeable, cultured, gentle, caring, fair, and generous person with a great sense of humor. He loved reading, communicating with friends via computer, swimming, playing cards and golfing with his California buddies and neighbors. His greatest pride and joy, however, was hosting and spending time with his grandchildren every summer, with much swimming, eating, playing games and cards, art-sketching figures, and other fun activities.
Jose leaves four accomplished children (Ana, Nelson, Marisa Debasa and Augustin Eichwald-Romero) that he was very proud of and his dearly beloved five grandchildren: Emmett and Luna Dyer (Ana/Micah), Devin, Conner, and Makena Debasa (Nelson/Katy).
The funeral service for our beloved Jose will be held on March 21, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2707, (213) 680-5200. Private entombment at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Mausoleum will follow for family members. Lunch will be served after the services.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please donate to The Jose A. Debasa Endowment Scholarship Fund at Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053, (408) 554-4000.
