Leonard Chaires, dies in Dallas at 88.
Rosary: 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 10, 2019
Visitation: 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 10, 2019
Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church,
2100 N. Davis Dr., Arlington, TX 76012.
Mass of Christian Burial: 10 a.m. Friday, October 11, 2019
Followed by a Reception in the Assembly Room
to Celebrate and Honor the Life of Leonard Chaires
St. Ann Catholic Church,
180 Samuel Blvd, Coppell, TX 75019.
Interment: 2 p.m. Friday, October 11, 2019
Leonard Chaires will be buried with Military Honors
Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery,
2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75211
Dallas, Texas - Prominent Hispanic Leader and Civil Rights Activist, Leonard Chaires, transited from earthly life to eternal life in Dallas on September 16, 2019.
“The Chaires Family mourns the loss of an exceptional man,” said eldest daughter, Janine Chaires Buckner. “My Father was a loving husband to my Mother, Maria Felisa, a wonderful role model and inspiration to his three daughters, as well as to members of the League of United Latin American Citizens, where he is known as the Father of LULAC Youth Councils in North Texas.”
He was a lifetime member of the League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, and passionate civil rights activist, protecting the rights of many Hispanic families, especially those experiencing unjust situations.
LULAC National President, Mr. Domingo Garcia, said “Leonard Chaires was a true Texas hero, who stood against injustice and fought for the underdog all his life. A lifetime LULAC leader who paved the way for a new generation through his support of LULAC Youth Councils.”
Mr. Chaires was born July 26, 1931 in Laredo, Texas to Higinio and Elvira Navar Chaires; he was the first person in his family to be born in the United States. He was baptized Catholic and grew up with a love for God, Family, Country and the Hispanic culture; they taught him to always do his best. His Father was born in Fresnillo, Zacatecas and served in World War I and World War II. His Mother, Elvira Navar Chaires, was born in Mesa de Guadalupe, Durango, Mexico; she experienced firsthand the Mexican Revolution of 1910.
Since he was a child, Mr. Chaires began inspiring youth and adults alike. As a youth growing up in South Texas, Mr. Chaires experienced discrimination, firsthand. He was told he was not allowed to swim in the public pool with the other kids, because of his Mexican heritage. Ultimately, he did swim in the pool.
Leonard Chaires was recognized as one of the 100 most prominent Hispanics in the United States, in a Latino based magazine. For the better part of his life, Mr. Chaires actively worked to improve the lives of Hispanics and those he encountered along life’s journey. He generously dedicated much of his time, as a volunteer, working to advance Civil Rights and the cause of Education for Hispanics in America. His wife of 55 years, Maria Felisa Garza Garcia Chaires and his three daughters, Janine, Suzette and Annette supported his determined and courageous efforts to improve the lives of many.
When Dallas Hispanics began to face Civil Rights issues, such as arrests, shootings, segregation and apportionment in the 1970’s, Mr. Chaires began working to improve the Civil Rights of Hispanics in North Texas. In 1973, he received a desperate call asking how the Hispanic Community ought to respond to fight the injustice of a handcuffed 12-year-old Hispanic boy shot and killed by a Dallas Police Officer. The Hispanic Community demanded reforms; changes took place within the Dallas Police Department. There were improvements to officer training and police recruitment, along with the development of an internal affairs department.
Mr. Chaires also worked tirelessly to improve education, especially in Dallas. He worked hard to reduce the Hispanic high school dropout rate in Dallas area schools. In 1989, he coordinated the successful preventive dropout program, “Opportunities for Networking and Developing Aspirations” (ONDA) to motivate and help at-risk students from Stockard and Greiner Middle Schools to graduate from high school and continue to college. Kraft Inc. funded the ONDA program for a three- year period. LULAC Council 272 was able to extend the ONDA program for five years. Eighty-percent of the ONDA program student participants graduated from college – including schools, such as SMU.
As a volunteer, he also monitored the Federal Court Desegregation Case involving the Dallas Independent School District. He was the only Hispanic to testify on behalf of the Latino Community. In addition, Mr. Chaires participated with Mr. Ross Perot on the Sirota Survey Study to improve education in the DISD. In 2001, he made a presentation to the Texas Rylander Report consultant review team reviewing DISD. As a National and Texas Hispanic leader, he served in a number of capacities and has been recognized for his work on numerous occasions.
On one such occasion, the Ford Foundation honored Mr. Chaires with a Hispanic Salute Education Award for developing Project ONDA. Then Bishop Thomas Tschoepe of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas accompanied Mr. Chaires to receive this prestigious Hispanic Salute Award. Throughout the years, Bishop Tschoepe helped and supported Mr. Chaires with his efforts to help improve ministry to Hispanics in Dallas.
Mr. Chaires also served as Chairperson of the Education Committee for LULAC District III, consisting of 24 LULAC Councils in North Texas. Continuing to address Hispanic/Latino concerns, he served on the Dallas Independent School District Latino Advisory Committee, starting in 1994.
Mr. Chaires is known as the Father of LULAC Youth Councils in North Texas. Mr. Chaires’ work on behalf of Hispanic Youth increased the number of LULAC Youth Councils in the Dallas area. In order to create a support system for Latino students coming from middle schools, he spearheaded an effort to organize LULAC Youth Councils in Dallas Independent School District High Schools. In addition, he served as LULAC District Director for Youth District III, helping to initiate LULAC Youth Councils in Dallas, as well as other North Texas cities. LULAC Council 272 helped to fund a LULAC Youth National Convention in Dallas, after a quorum of Councils could not be made for a LULAC Youth National Convention held in Washington, D.C.
With a goal to help students and parents learn how to use additional words in the English language – and to keep young people in school to reduce the Hispanic dropout rate - Mr. Chaires developed three volumes of LULAC YOUTH SCHOOL OF THE 400 PLUS LITERACY PROGRAM: Vocabulary Book One, Vocabulary Book Two and Vocabulary Book Three. Mr. Chaires completed the three vocabulary book volumes of the LULAC YOUTH SCHOOL OF THE 400 PLUS LITERACY PROGRAM in 1996, with the assistance of Mr. Alan Cochrum, who graciously edited the books. It was always his desire to spread the use of these books. LULAC has considered education its number one priority since it was established in 1929.
In May 2017, at the age of 86, Mr. Chaires, was honored by LULAC (Dallas) Council 272 at its Scholarship Banquet. Four students received Leonard Chaires Scholarships. One of the aims of LULAC, the nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization, is to seek to promote and encourage the education of youth and adults through scholarships.
At the age of 16, Mr. Chaires graduated from Martin High School in the Class of 1948, where he lettered in every sport: football, basketball, track and baseball. He received a trophy for Most Valuable Player on his high school basketball team. Years later, Mr. Chaires began the Martin High School Class of ’48 Scholarship Fund, to be given to young men and women graduating from Martin High School.
Mr. Chaires, a Korean War Veteran, enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1948 at age 17, and served in combat in the Korean War when he was 19 years old; he continued to serve honorably until 1952. Mr. Chaires received Occupational Medal (Japan), Korean SVC Medal w/ (3) Three Bronze SVC star, (1) One Overseas SVC Bar - CIBAD ROK.
Following this service to his country, he attended Texas A&M University, under the Korean G.I. Bill. He graduated in the Class of 1956 as a Civil Engineer. Later, He was proud to be President of the Texas A&M Laredo Club, 1955-1956.
He later met Maria Felisa Garza Garcia who was working as a teacher and President of a Catholic College in Mexico, where she was selling tickets to a school dance. He purchased all the tickets, so that he could dance with her. They married on his birthday, July 26, 1959; they were married for 55 blessed years and raised three loving daughters: Janine, Suzette and Annette. Mr. Chaires was a devoted, loving and extraordinary husband and father, with a great sense of humor. His daughters all told him, “You’re the best man we know.”
Professionally, Mr. Chaires was a registered Civil Engineer; he obtained his Texas Professional Engineering License while working for the Texas Highway Department. He also worked with the U.S. Corps of Engineers for six years, selected as one of (5) five Civil Engineers to participate on the President’s Task Force on the Feasibility Study of Sea Level Routes; he was responsible for the original design construction excavation of Chorrera Lagerto Interoceanic canal crossing (Atlantic-Pacific) in Panama. He was the only person fluent in Spanish at this high-level.
Later, he was selected to go to Washington, D.C. HUD Headquarters to work on engineering language for the Community Development Act. Mr. Chaires was one of three engineers who developed the language for this Act. He was then moved to the Planning Office to develop the Urban Systems Engineering Demonstration Program. He helped devise the Urban Systems Engineering Demonstration Program; Mr. Chaires developed and managed this ten (10) million dollar Urban Systems Engineering Demonstration Grant Program for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, D.C. It was during his time in Washington D.C., more than fifty years ago, that
Mr. Chaires joined LULAC, through an invitation from Mr. Dan Galvan.
Mr. Chaires also served as Region VI Assistant Regional Director for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 1974 to1983; he served as Principal Advisor for Civil Rights Laws, including the Fair Housing Law of 1968 for the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico. Leonard received the Secretary of HUD award for Outstanding Performance in Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity Programs, Region VI (Dallas), November 1978. He retired from Civil Service in August 1984, as a GS-15, Step 10, after running the program for nine years.
He later worked for Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority for nine years, where he developed and evaluated requests for proposals for architect, construction, and environmental Contract Services for Rail Services.
He was also a member of the Dallas Local Jobs for Progress Board, SER, for approximately six years. He had been associated with Dallas SER – Jobs for Progress, Inc. since 1972 and served as Chairperson of the Dallas SER Board.
He was a member of LULAC for more than fifty years. Mr. Chaires served the offices of President, Treasurer and Director of Youth for Dallas LULAC Council 272, where he had been a member since 1972. He also served as LULAC Youth LULAC District III Director in North Texas.
Mr. Chaires helped to establish LULAC Councils in Fort Worth, Arlington and Grand Prairie. He also served as a member of the Dallas Tri-racial Committee for several years.
He celebrated his 55th Wedding Anniversary on his Birthday, July 26, 2014, with his lovely wife, Maria Felisa Garza Garcia Chaires, who passed later that year. He and his wife were devout Catholics who greatly loved and valued their blessed family and family life. They loved their family beyond words.
Mr. and Mrs. Chaires raised three amazing daughters: Janine, Suzette and Annette.
Mr. Chaires regularly attended Mass with his wife and family at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas - and later Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas. His family and life itself were so precious to him that he persevered through illness with astonishing strength. His entire life embodied the love and mercy of Christ; his selfless and giving love, goodness, supernatural strength, service and faith will live on through his family and those whose lives he touched.
Mr. Chaires is preceded in death by his parents, Higinio and Elvira Navar Chaires, and his wife of 55 blessed years, Maria Felisa Garza Garcia Chaires. He is survived by his three dedicated and loving daughters: Janine Chaires Buckner, Suzette Chaires, Annette Chaires, his son-in-law Roy Sheldon “Shell” Buckner, and his four grandchildren: Jessica Buckner, Christopher Buckner, Jacob Sick and Morgan Sick. He is also survived by his sister, Yolanda Lowery and Nephews Mark Lowery and Steve Doherty and their children; and many extended family and friends.
Memorials: Leonard Chaires Scholarship Fund
For more information, contact Moore Funeral Home, Arlington, TX: 817-275-2711.
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