Roll Call Tribute

The Association was notified of this Aggie's passing on 07/06/2004.
______________________________________________________________________________
David Clemente Chapa
David Clemente Chapa, 63, died June 18, 2004. He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather. He was born August 29, 1940 in Alice, Texas.
He was the first scholarship recipient of the Alice Knights of Columbus Council 3169 in 1958. He received his bachelor¹s of science degree in zoology/chemistry from Texas A&M University in College Station and was a proud member of the Aggie Corp of Cadets. He achieved a master¹s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, in 1974.
He devoted his career to educating and providing programs that benefit children. His professional career began as an elementary second grade teacher in Floresville, Texas and then as a sixth grade and special education teacher in Alice, Texas. He was selected as the first Executive Director of the Jim Wells County Community Action Agency and helped establish the funding of federal projects which included Head Start, neighborhood service centers and manpower training. He served as a program technical specialist in the Texas Governor¹s Office of Economic Opportunity under Governor John Connally and Governor Preston Smith. He worked in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in the Office of Child Development with Head Start Programs. Later he was Director of Head Start for Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas. A few years later he was promoted to Regional Program Director at the Administration of Children, Youth and Families for the Department of Health in Human Services in Denver, Colorado. There he provided oversight to child welfare services, social services block grant, adoption service, Head Start and Runaway/Homeless Youth Office. He finished his career in Dallas, Texas, as Director of Community Programs under the Administration of Children and Families where he provided supervision for 200 Head Start programs and Runaway/Homeless Youth projects.
Family and education were always very important to him. He was a devoted husband and involved parent and grandparent. Though he achieved many accomplishments in life, he always felt his family was one of his greatest achievements. He always encouraged others to seek education as a means to a better life. Whether striving for his education or career goals or fighting myelodysplastic syndrome (smoldering leukemia), he was a great example of an individual fighting to overcome obstacles. He will always have a place in
the hearts of his family and a wide circle of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Moises E. Chapa and Maria Corina Chapa and his brother Dr. Moises S. Chapa.
He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Consuelo Garcia Chapa of Flower Mound, Texas; three daughters, Dulcinea (Ricky) Arredondo, Delinda (Michael) Mata and Daliana (Dr. Raul) Santos, all of Flower Mound, Texas; and four grandchildren, David Christopher Arredondo, Gabriela Consuelo Arredondo and Anica Marivel Mata, all of Flower Mound, Texas, and Raul David Santos of Temple, Texas.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 20, 204 from 3 to 9 p.m. at the Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home in Alice with a Rosary being recited at 7 p.m. that evening. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Monday, June 21, 2004 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alice, Texas. Burial will follow at the New Collins Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Bennie Garcia III, Robert Garcia, Jr., Richard Garcia, Robert Gallaga, Ken David Benavides, Michael Garza and Carlos Aaron Garcia.
Honorary pallbearers are Armando Marroquin, Octavio Salinas of Alice; Armando Cadena, Ruben Munoz & Joe Salinas of Houston; Dr. Charles Briseno of San Antonio; Ed Lazo and Larry Visscher of Colorado.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 811 LBJ Frwy. Ste. 425, Dallas, TX 75251.
Mauro P. Garcia Funeral Home of Alice entrusted with arrangements.
­paid obituary