He earned a Bachelor's Degree in French at Bowling Green State College (now University) in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1935 and a Master's Degree in English at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois in 1937.
While serving in the United States Army, he studied at the University of Puebla in Puebla, Mexico.
He taught Spanish at Lawrence College (now University) in Appleton, Wisconsin from 1946 to 1956.
He moved to New York City in 1960 and lived there until his death in 2009.
His last residence before his death was in Brooklyn Heights, New York.