Carlos was born in the motor city of Detroit, October 7, 1962, and passed away in the oil city of Houston, October 29, 2019. His parents were immigrants from Brazil, who ingrained in him a dedication to education, a love of inquiry, and above all, a devotion to family.
First and foremost in Carlos’ life were his two daughters, Clara and Celia, the lights of his life. Practically every sentence he uttered started with ‘Clara said…’ or ‘Celia did…’ His heart wasn’t big enough to contain the love and joy they gave him.
Of course, with family comes food. Grilling, flipping, sautéing, preparing—whatever it took to feed the crew, whether breakfast pancakes for the girls, or marinating and grilling meat for the Sunday gatherings.
Though lighthearted and with a quick chuckle, he dedicated his career to figuring things out. His decades working in Human Factors with NASA seemed to ignite the problem solver in him. He delighted in showing off pictures of him in the zero-g simulator jet (‘Vomit Comet’) that astronauts used to train in preparation for time in the space station.
Carlos was so humble; he never really appreciated how many people he touched throughout his life. His daughters, along with his brother and sister, Luiz and Christina, ex-wife Michelle, and his friends and co-workers will truly miss his warmth, love and compassion. We wish him peace.
