Zack Uribes

(May 1, 2018) -- World War II veteran Zacarias “Zack” Andrew Uribes, a resident of the California Veterans Home the past 24 years who was the founding commander of one of the area’s oldest veterans organizations -- Sanger AMVETS Post 98 -- completed his earthly mission April 29 and has reunited with his beautiful bride Carmen. A full military services and Christian funeral services are set for May 15 and 16 in Fresno to honor his devotion to God, his life’s accomplishments and his military and veterans service. The Sanger-area native, a father of five, was 96.

Zack was a pioneer in Self-Help Enterprises that helped thousands of low-income families build their own homes and also served on the Fresno County Housing and Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee. In Sanger, he served the Re-development Agency and the Sanger Health Commission.

Born Nov. 30, 1921, to Zacarias and Dominga Uribes in Minkler east of Sanger, Zack served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 as a staff sergeant in the Asiatic Pacific theater during World War II.

He attended Frankwood Grammar School (now School House Restaurant and Tavern) near the family’s 8-acre ranch home and Sanger High School before leaving in the 11th grade to help his family when his mother died in 1938 but later was presented a diploma in a special ceremony for World War II veterans.

On Dec. 7, 1941, Zack was assisting his father and seven siblings on the family ranch on Frankwood, about a mile north of Hwy. 180 near present-day Sherwood Forest Golf Course, when news broke of the Pearl Harbor attack that launched United States involvement in World War II.

Like thousands of young men at the time, Zack was motivated to serve his nation and entered active-duty service with the U.S. Army on Aug. 7, 1942. After basic training at Camp Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas, he was assigned to the 3346th Quartermaster Truck Company of the 523rd Quartermaster Battalion Mobile and served in New Caledonia and the Philippines. He was a chief dispatcher/driver and sharpshooter and was honorably discharged on Dec. 22, 1945.

Upon his return to civilian life, Zack met Carmen Leon in 1947 at the Palomar Ballroom in West Fresno where he would escort his sisters and cousins from Minkler so they could enjoy some dancing and socializing. Zack and Carmen were married April 11, 1948 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church near his bride’s home on B Street and the Palomar on Kearney Boulevard.

Together they raised a family of five children in Sanger where Zack gained employment with Central California Homes, which later became known as CALHO, from 1948-1962. There, he learned the building trades, specializing in finish carpentry, and later owned and operated Uribes Cabinets, a sole proprietorship. He also owned U & M Construction Company with partner Santos Marquez from 1962-1965 building homes in the Sanger and Parlier area.

In 1965, he joined a fledgling non-profit organization, Self-Help Enterprises, formed that year to help low-income families, including many farmworkers throughout the Central Valley, build their own homes based on sweat equity and group effort. As its first construction superintendent, Zack’s pioneer work with the mostly Spanish-speaking families helped form the foundation for what became a nationally-recognized community development organization whose mission remains working with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities.

Since its inception, Self-Help Enterprises’ efforts have touched the lives of over 55,000 families. Many learned various building trades under his tutelage and supervision along with other bilingual craftsmen that Self-Help contracted for specialized services (plumbing, electrical, roofing, painting, etc.), providing its clients the opportunity for improved occupational skills leading to better wages and lifestyles for their families.

“He had expressed that the most rewarding part of what became his life’s work was handing over the keys to families during grand openings after a block of homes was completed and seeing their joy of not only owning a new home they built with their own hands, but a new life with promising opportunities,” said his daughter, Regina Uribes.

As a finish carpenter, he built and installed custom cabinets for many homeowners through Uribes Cabinets with a shop near CALHO on Academy and later on North Street. In the 1960s, he helped build St. Mary’s Hall in Sanger and in the early 1970s built cabinets for Singleton Hall at St. John’s Cathedral, across the street from where his funeral Mass will be held. In that St. John’s project, Zack worked for then-Fr. John Esquivel, who had met the Uribes family when he served a mission in Sanger during his seminarian days. Rev. Msgr. Esquivel, now pastor of St. Anthony’s in Reedley who celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest last month, will officiate Zack’s Mass of Christian Burial.

In the early 1960's, Zack was appointed to serve on Sanger's Re-development Agency and the Fresno County Housing and Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee in 1976-77. He was also active in Boy Scout activities.

Both Zack and Carmen were appointed to the Sanger Health Commission in the early fifties and were active in St. Mary’s Catholic Church and other civic activities. They were also supportive of their children’s activities, raising them to take an interest in their community and followed through by assisting them whenever possible – including participating in or attending many AMVETS activities.

After leaving the service, Zack was a member of the VFW Post 8900 of Fresno and the American Legion Post in Sanger. He and several World War II and Korean War compadres formed Sanger's Latin AMVET Post 98 which was chartered August 22, 1952 with 23 charter members who elected Zack as the post’s first commander. A few years later, the post dropped “Latin” from its name.

The Sanger AMVETS was initially formed as an honor guard to provide full military honors including a final rifle salute for, at the time, Sanger and Parlier soldiers killed in the Korean War. The post conducted food drives annually, built floats for Sanger parades, served up its famous AMVETS tacos at the Sanger Grape Bowl Festival every year and many other community service activities.

One such project was the donation of television sets to veterans at the California Veterans Home in Yountville. It was during the delivery of these donations that Zack decided he and Carmen would retire at the home.

“Dad was proud not only of his military service for his nation, but also of the service that retuning soldiers could perform for their communities as veterans and he engaged at every opportunity,” Regina said.

In the six decades since Zack served as its first commander, the AMVETS Color Guard has served many military funerals, Memorial Day services and the Nation’s Christmas Tree lighting ceremonies in Kings Canyon National Park and continues to do so to this day including for its founding commander’s funeral.

Under present commander, George Willhoite and Color Guard Captain Ralph Davila, AMVETS Post 98 will provide an honor guard to post sentry for Zack during Rosary services May 15 and during the funeral Mass May 16 as well as provide a rifle-volley Final Salute at St. Peter’s Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest with his wife who was interred in December, 1983. The U.S. Army will provide a flag-folding and presentation service.

Also participating in Zack’s military services will be two grandsons who are currently in active service: Commander Raul Mejorado, Jr. (U.S. Navy) and Master Sergeant Patrick Uribes, Jr. (U.S. Air Force).

In the early 1960s, Zack earned his GED and eventually participated in special graduation ceremonies for World War II veterans who missed that life milestone because they went to war. The diploma was formally presented to him Nov. 9, 2002, at the California Veterans Home in Yountville where he resided from 1994-2016 before coming home to the Fresno Veterans Home June 8, 2016. The Fresno home is the newest of the state’s eight CalVet homes, opening in 2013.

“Dad especially loved how the California veterans homes serve veterans,” Regina added. “Our family saw first-hand how the homes are a wonderful way for our community to show its appreciation. We are so grateful to the Yountville and Fresno homes for the love and care they showed our Dad. I wish there was a veterans home in every city in the state.”

At the Veterans Home of Fresno’s monthly memorial service on May 30, Congressman Jim Costa will present his family with a U.S. flag flown over the nation’s Capital in Washington D.C. in tribute to his service both in the U.S. Army during World War II and as founding commander of the AMVETS Post 98. The flag will also be on display at the funeral services May 15 and 16. All services are open to the public.

In addition to his wife Carmen and parents, Zack was preceded in death by siblings Seferino Uribes, Grace Rubio, Pete Uribes, Dario Uribes, Margaret Bowen, Lucille Flores, Alma Lozano and Greg Uribes; and grandson Zacarias Uribes, III.

He is survived by his five children Regina Uribes; Ray Uribes; Tom Uribes and Andrea Arguijo; Marty Uribes Yanez and Robert Yanez; and Pat Uribes and Katherine Avalos Uribes.

He is also survived by:

Eleven Grandchildren - Commander Raul Mejorado, Jr. and Bambi; Rene Mejorado and Ly; Richard Mejorado and Terri; Kristi Uribes; Matthew Uribes; Michael Uribes and Eunice; Felicia Sanudo; Diego Yanez; Alex Yanez; Master Sgt. Patrick Uribes, Jr. Daniel and Tiffany Uribes and (deceased) Zack Uribes, II.

Fifteen Great-grandchildren – Marissa Mejorado; Brian Mejorado; Mila Mejorado; Max Mejorado; Erica Lassen; Leslie Grove; Andrew Uribes; Xavier Uribes; Dominic Uribes; Javier Olmeda; Isaiah Sanudo; Xavier Uribes and Kayla; Jasmin Uribes; and Erika Uribes.

Four Great-great-grandchildren - Charlotte Lassen; Lincoln Lassen; Riley Grove; and Austin Grove.

A Viewing will be from 4-7 p.m. at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home in Fresno with recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7 p.m. followed by comments and final Visitation at 7:30 p.m. (1525 E. Saginaw).

The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 16, at St. John’s Cathedral in Fresno (2814 Mariposa St.). Interment with full military honors follows at St. Peter's Cemetery, Fresno (264 N Blythe Ave.).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Zack Uribes Memorial Scholarship:

Make check payable to

CSUF Chicano Alumni Account

c/o Educational Employees Credit Union

P.O. Box 5242

Fresno CA 93755

Subject line: Zack Uribes Memorial Scholarship

Questions: 559.871.8463

or [email protected]

The Uribes family expresses its gratitude to the professional staff, volunteers and residents of the California Veterans Home during his stay in Yountville 22 years and in Fresno the last two years, as well as Optimal Hospice.

Special thank you to Rev. Msgr. John Esquivel for answering the family’s call to officiate Dad’s funeral services and Father Ricardo Magdaleno for performing Last Rites.

We are also appreciative of the Hon. Jim Costa, our representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, and his staff for providing the U.S. flag that was flown over the nation’s Capital in Dad’s honor.

We especially thank all of you family and friends who have showered us with your love and support that has been very comforting as we escort our Dad home to Mom. As they taught us to do, we love you all. Muchisimas Gracias!