John "Les" Horvath

My brother Les (John to some friends) was born in 1944 in New Jersey. Our father was a big football fan, and Les was named after the 1944 Heisman trophy winner, Les Horvath, as well as our dad, John. We moved to Lunenburg, Mass. in 1957, a small town of 5,000 folks. The high school did not even have a football team until Les was a sophomore, and he was proud to be member of that inaugural team. That year it was also discovered that he had narcolepsy, a condition that results in episodes of falling asleep suddenly, and it had an effect on his whole life. He graduated in 1962, and his yearbook said " 'Les'...rising 'but not quite shining' at seven...a man of many ideas...bruiser on the gridiron...renowned for the caution (?) he manifests behind the wheel." The latter reflects that he was a bit of a hell-raiser in those years. After high school Les tried to join the service, but his narcolepsy prevented it. He saw many doctors and tried many treatments. He had many jobs over the years, but had difficulty holding them; falling asleep was not allowed. In the late 60s, he became a "hippie" of sorts, hitchhiking around the country, eventually finding Berkeley was a pretty good place to live on the streets. Later, he found his way to Quincy, CA., in the Sierras, and attended Feather River College, before drifting to the LA area. He had a passion for motorcycles. If you ever talked to him for very long, he would tell you about his five favorite bikes, the best being his Honda 450 with the extended forks. No problem staying awake on his cycles. He also had an liking for small, even tiny, cars, cheap and maybe reliable. Thus, he woud tell you his list of five favorite cars, topped off by his Honda 600, Honda's first import car, essentially a box with a motorcycle engine. We both liked classic cars, and would often go to car shows and museums together. Les kept trying to find jobs for years when he arrived in LA, but he eventually had to give up his driver's license, and was supported by SSI. He had demons to battle with schizophrenia, occasionally landing in a psychiatric hospital. But he was eventually able to find solace in the church. He found good friends, volunteered in the missions and parks, completed his AA degree at El Camino, ushered at USC football games, and was active in his church leadership. Even with his modest means, he donated to many charities as well as his church, and lived independently throughout his life. Les had firm ideas about many issues, and was not shy about making his opinions known. He wrote many letters to the newspapers, and was an "advisor" to senators and presidents. He won a civic award presented to him by Mayor Riordan for an idea he submitted. Several years ago, when our mom could no longer live alone, Les would spend every other week taking care of her, alternating with another caregiver. He was completely devoted to her, giving her loving care, and showing endless patience as her condition faltered. Her passing was a big blow to Les. Les was a big man in many ways: big in stature, big in ideas, big in heart. He was a gentle giant who has left a big hole in our lives. Bob