Charles Chavez's Obituary
At the age of 92, Charles Chavez passed away on January 6, 2020. Surrounded by family, he moved on peacefully from this life. His loving wife, Oralia Arlene Chavez, predeceases him.
Charles, called Charlie by his friends and family, was born on February 27, 1927 at Three Rivers Ranch just outside of Tularosa, New Mexico. He is the son of Ortero Chavez and Maria Del Refugio (Cuca) Bela. He is the brother of Antonia (Toni), Dolores (Lola), Ortero, Jr. (Tito), and Francisco (Pancho/Frank). All had preceded him in death.
He is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews, extended family and friends who cherish their memories of him as a smart, funny, adventurous, generous and loving man. We miss him so much already.
Charlie lived in Tularosa with his grandmother until the 8th grade. He then moved to Needles, California to be with the rest of his family who had moved there earlier.
A patriotic young man, Charlie joined the Army during World War II along with other men in the family.
After the Army, he lived in Fresno for many years, working for Boeing and later, after Boeing moved to Washington State, Charlie co-owned a cafe/bar frequented by agriculture workers.
An energetic entrepreneur he sought out many business opportunities throughout his life; among other businesses he owned a jukebox company and a bookstore and sought out collectibles, which he would sell at local flea markets with his compadres.
In the early ‘60s he moved to the Bay Area where his brother, Frank, owned and operated service stations. In Oakland, he met Texas-born Oralia Arlene. Although Charlie had sworn-off marriage for many years, Charlie fell in love with Arlene and asked her to marry him. He was 34 and she was 36.
Charlie and Arlene made their home in the Niles Canyon area of Fremont, CA. In 1972, he earned a Bachelors Degree in Latin American Studies from California State University, Hayward. He was a member of the Mexican American Political Action group (MAPA) and the Raza Unida Party. He was a staunch supporter of Cesar Chavez and the United Farmworkers.
In 1983, he retired from General Motors where he had worked as an Auto Inspector.
Charlie loved music and amassed a large collection of albums including Latin Jazz albums, which he later donated to charity. He was also a self-taught guitar player who frequently played for the residents of local retirement homes with his friends. He was an avid reader who amassed an expansive collection of books on a variety of subjects that filled the garage of his Niles Canyon home and which he often shared with others.
Though Charlie and Arlene never had children of their own, they treated their many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews as if they were their own kids, giving what they could to assist them in their lives, even opening their home at different times to extended relatives, giving these relatives a place to stay while they attended Bay Area schools.
Charlie was a devoted husband who took care of Arlene for many years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, insisting on keeping her at home with him until she passed away in 2009.
Friends and family are invited to attend the visitation/rosary recitation on Friday, January 24, 5 - 9 PM and the Funeral Service on January 25, 9 AM at the Mission Chapel at Chapel of the Chimes -- 32992 Mission Blvd, Hayward, California.
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