The Death of Gastón Bueno Lobo

The article by Jorge Carvalho de Mello mentioned in the previous entry has for the first time published a copy of Lobo's death certificate, shown above. In this document the time, place and actual cause of Lobo's death is officially documented. Moreover, de Mello has tried to reconstruct Lobo's last hours alive and what happened immediately afterwards from consulting newspaper articles covering Lobo's death. Further, his research also has revealed a few other interesting details about Lobo's personal life at the time of his death. Of importance, he mentions that Lobo at the time lived a married life with his wife, Dna Iracema Lobo (aged 35), in Ramos, a suburb of Rio de Jainero, and even the exact address is noted. Some sources further state that the couple lived a life in harmony and had good relations with everybody that knew them, the marriage had no infants.

On the 2nd of June 1939 Lobo left his home in Ramos in the morning, well dressed and by his own car obviously heading for his job at Radio Mayrink Veiga. However, he did not go to work but went along in his car following the highway from Rio in direction of São Paulo and stopped the car at a quiet place (- the exact address is stated in the death cerificate) where he left the car and sat down nearby. He had brought with him a jug containing a toxic liquid which he then svallowed, this caused his death immediately. His body was found by a bypasser a little later, the police was called and the corpse was identified by a police superintendent. Meanwhile, his wife had searched for him at Mayrink Veiga, at hospital and even the morgue but without results. - In the pocket of Lobo's jacket was found two handwritten notes, one of them expressed disillusion with his life, quote (-in Portuguese):

"O lugar onde me encontro não tem importância, apenas procurei um lugar tranquilo. E assim se resume uma existência de atribulações. (a) Gastão Bueno Lobo." [- in English approximately reads: 'The place I am found is of no importance, only that it's tranquil. And hereby a life of tribulations is summarized. (signed) GB Lobo']

The other note in Lobo's pocket reads, quoute:

"Levo uma grande saudade de minha esposa. Enfim, lá nos encontraremos." [in approximate English: 'I led a big longing for my wife. Finally, there [- in death] we will find ourselves [- be united]']

The secound note seems to hint at a troublesome marriage, but this contradicts the above mentioned statements from newspaper articles claiming that Lobo and his wife led a life together in harmony. Whatever the exact meaning of the message in Lobo's note, we only know his wife's testimony regarding his suicide. She was quoted for telling the authorites that her husband had felt depressed for some time following bad news from his work at Mayrink Veiga, however, the exact circumstances were unknown. Lobo's supposed depression was confirmed by colleages at Meyrink Veiga, but no one had expected such a drastic end. - The funeral of Lobo was held 03 June, all expenses were covered by Radio Mayrink Veiga and friends and colleages followed the cofin to rest at the cemetary of São Francisco Xavier. A colleage was quoted saying: 'Miserable of Gastão! I knew him and lament his so deplorable end'.

There's a tag or coda to the tragical end of Lobo's life at 48 years of age. The police not only found the two mentioned notes in his pockets but also a page of handwritten musical notation of a composition titled 'Se Recordar é Viver' (- in English: 'If Remembering Is Living') by Gastão Bueno Lobo and Laurindo Almeida. This composition was recorded by vocalist Roberto Paiva on 10 August 1939 and released on Odeon 11848-A in May 1940 as a tribute to Lobo despite the somewhat ironic title commenting his life and tragic end.

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The above and the previous entry summarizes the main contents of Jorge Carvalho de Mello's mentioned aricle, we owe his detailed research great respect and gratitude. If readers of this summary in English are tempted to read the original text in Portuguese, we encourage you to pay a visit at de Mello's blog by clicking here.

Jo