On June 21, 2023, our beloved Hector Morales III, loyal to his family and the Arizona Wildcats, passed away peacefully surrounded by his mom and family members. He graced his parents, siblings, entire family and all of his friends in his 67 years with us on Earth.
He joins his dad Hector Jr., nephew Ian Michael and many other dear family members in heaven, including his Papa Nino, Mama Nina, Grandfather Hector Sr. and Grandmother Tuchi.
The immediate family he leaves behind includes his mom Elsa and her boyfriend Jim, sister Debra Gloria (brother-in-law Michael) and brothers Carlos (sister-in-law Terri), Andy (sister-in-law Jane) and Javier.
His loving nephews and nieces on Earth include Wade, Amber, Adam, Arianna, Brittney, Maggie and Mackenzie. His grandnieces Wren and Rowan and grandnephew Lucas are with us holding the thought of Hector near and dear to our hearts.
Hector was born and raised in Tucson, a city he adored from the time he grew up in the southern part of town near Sunnyside High School. He is a Class of 1974 graduate from Sunnyside who went on to earn an associate’s degree in general studies at Pima Community College in 1986.
His father and mother were longtime community servants, raising Hector and their children along with trying to make Tucson a better place to live for all walks of life.
Hector’s dad, Hector Jr., worked as a Pima County assessor from 1958-66 (designed the MVD building on Ajo and official Pima County Seal) and was a city councilman from 1965-68 who led the successful effort for Civil Rights ordinances, removed sales tax on food and prescriptions and extended water to the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui Tribes. Hector Sr. also served as Mo Udall’s campaign manager and within the Carter and Reagan Administrations as the Executive Assistant for Regional Operations. He served as a congressional lobbyist for Cesar Chavez. He also worked with the State of Arizona in the Dept. of Economic Security and as the Executive Director of El Pueblo Clinic. He was on the Fair Housing Council before moving to the Pima County Health Board where he served until his passing in 2010.
Hector III considered his dad a hero like many of us and tried to live his own life in a similar caring and kindhearted way.
His love for the Arizona Wildcats in all the sports was unmatched. He attended football games with season tickets and religiously watched as many women’s and men’s basketball, baseball and softball games as he could on the television if he could not make it in person. He regularly called in postgame radio shows to voice his support for the Wildcats, win or lose. He went into every season faithfully believing Arizona would win every one of its games.
While attending Sunnyside High School, Hector III was a model student who participated in cross country and football. Faced with personal trauma and difficulty, Hector still persevered to achieve his associate’s degree at Pima College 12 years after graduating from Sunnyside. Hector always found a way to rebound and keep his spirits high through the most trying times of his life.
He was deeply religious, faithfully praying and visiting numerous Catholic churches from his time living with the family in Tucson and Kensington, Md. He carried with him a rosary and prayer cards.
He greeted many he did not know at churches, the store, at U of A sporting events, on the street, etc.
That is the Hector III we will remember – kind-hearted through the good times and bad and always hopeful of the best for himself, his family and the Arizona Wildcats.
Bear Down, Hector.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Hector Morales All Sports Tucson Scholarship Fund, operated by his brother Andy with AllSportsTucson.com. Please make checks payable to Andy Morales and mail to Javier and Andy Morales at 315 W. Valencia Road, P.O. Box 11581, Tucson, AZ, 85734.
VENMO: Kicks4kidstucson
Rosary at BRING’S BROADWAY CHAPEL, Thursday, June 29, 2023, 7:00 p.m. at 6910 E Broadway Blvd. in Tucson. Funeral mass at ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH on Friday, June 30, 2023, at 10 a.m. at 215 S. Craycroft Road in Tucson. A funeral reception will be held afterward at the church’s reception hall.
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