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Longtime UCSB Professor Luis Leal Dies at Age 102
By Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk Staff Writer | 
| Published on 01.26.2010
Luis Leal, a renowned Chicano literature scholar at UCSB, died Monday at age 102.
Known as “Don Luis” by his colleagues and students, Leal was a scholar and professor of Mexican and Latin American literature.
He had published dozens of books, including Myths and Legends of Mexico at age 95, and hundreds of articles.
In 1995, UCSB created the Luis Leal Endowed Chair position in its Department of Chicano Studies, where Leal was a professor for decades.
He taught at the University of Mississippi, Emory University and the University of Illinois as well as being a research fellow at UCSB’s Chicano Studies Institute.
He was technically retired when he and his late wife, Gladys, moved to the South Coast, but offered courses because he championed the concept of Chicano literature, said friend Mario Garcia, a professor of Chicana and Chicano studies at UCSB.
Garcia also worked closely with Leal to document his life story in Luis Leal: An Auto/Biography.
“He was always generous with his time, and I learned so much from him,” Garcia wrote in an e-mail to Noozhawk. “I will always remember his gentleness, his integrity, his support of all and his wonderful calmness.”
Leal won the 1997 National Humanities Medal and many other honors from both the U.S. and Mexican governments.
He once told Garcia that “everyone contributes.”
“By that he meant that everyone, regardless of background, has something of value to contribute to society or to the academic world,” Garcia said.
“There was no superego in professor Leal. He appreciated the work of all. I’ll miss our informal chats, our lunches, our coffees, our dinners and just learning from him.”
Funeral arrangements are being made through Pueblo del Rey Funeral Services. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at First Christian Church, 1915 Chapala St. A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at Goleta Cemetery, 44 S. San Antonio Road. Plans for a campus memorial are under way.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments
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» on 01.27.10 @ 09:07 AM
A very gentle soul. Ha pasado a mejor vida. He enriched
my life when he was my profe at Univ of Illinois.
At that time he was known as Fray Luis. Such modesty.
I treasure the moments in his presence at a graduate
course on Mexican short story. Luis Leal touched my
life. Condolences to his family and many friends.
Con todo respeto, John Saunders
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» on 01.27.10 @ 11:56 AM
For those of us who studied Chicano Studies, literature, have lost one its greatest scholars to influence my generation. My condolences to his family and all the students whose lives he touched. He was a great friend to my favorite Chicano Studies professor, Dr. Cesar Gonzalez from San Diego Mesa College, and it was always a joyous occasion whenever Cesar shared his tales of his and Dr. Leal’s friendship. Que Dios lo bendiga siempre!
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» on 01.27.10 @ 12:56 PM
In May of 1962, don Luis Leal extended his hand to me and said, “Bien hecho, Reedy”—his congratulatory comment on my having completed a doctoral dissertation at the University of Illinois under his mentorship. I was his “secundón”, i.e. the second offspring in a long line of future doctoral students. Those two words “bien hecho” are the accolade I cherish most from a university teaching career that spanned 38 years. Don Luis was the embodiment of the word “caballero” and his wife Gladys was a friendly and receptive companion during much of his career.
Dan Reedy, Professor Emeritus of Hispanic Studies & Dean Emeritus, University of Kentucky
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» on 01.31.10 @ 02:53 AM
Don Luis, su recuerdo y amabilidad siempre estarán con nosotros. Primero me impresionó su trabajo, pero cuando lo conocí personalmente -siempre obligado a Francisco L. por presentármelo- su infinita humanidad me sobrecogió.
Gracias por enriquecer mi vida.
José Antonio
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