Luis Davila

Luis Davila, 77, of Bloomington passed away on Sunday March 8, 2015 at the Meadowood Retirement Community. He was a Professor Emeritus in Latin American and Latino Literature at Indiana University, Bloomington. He was born in 1938 in San Antonio, Texas to Maria de la Luz Aguilar de Davila and Luis Davila Delgado, both natives of Mexico. After graduating as the Valedictorian of his high-school class at Central Catholic High School, Luis was awarded a full scholarship to attend St. Mary's University in San Antonio, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Chemistry in 1960. Luis went on to pursue a PhD in Latin American literature at Ohio State University, where he met his wife of 47 years - Roberta (Bobbi) Dombeck Davila, while they were both graduate students. Luis joined the faculty of Indiana University in the fall of 1969, where he taught in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese until his retirement as Full Professor in 2011. At IU he was deeply involved with the Latino community for whom he advocated tirelessly and supported in every way he could. In 2008, the Latino Alumni Association awarded Luis the Distinguished Latino Faculty Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements to Indiana University and the Indiana University Latino Community for over 30 years. He also tirelessly served the university community as a whole in many ways extending far beyond his pedagogical obligations. Luis was considered one of the academic pioneers of Chicano and Latino Studies in the U.S. academy, founding the groundbreaking journalLa Revista Chicano Riquenawith Nick Kanellos in 1973. In 1976 Luis also inaugurated the interdisciplinary Chicano-Riqueno Studies Program at IU, dedicated to the study of Puerto Rican, Chicano, and other Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. Additionally, he was the faculty advisor to the journalChiricu, one of the few US Latino journals published from start to finish by graduate students. This multilingual journal of Latina and Latino literature and literary criticism continues to be published annually. The Chicano-Riqueno Studies Program, and the journalsChiricuandLa Revista Chicano-Riquenabrought recognition to Indiana University and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. In addition to his academic pursuits, Luis was deeply devoted to his dear wife and two daughters. He also had a passion for gardening and landscaping. In the rare moments where you did not see him with a book or newspaper in his hand, he was taking care of his flowers. He had the patience and care to cultivate a breathtaking rose garden at the Davila residence. Every spring and summer would usher in new bouquets of flowers in the garden, which he had carefully planted and cared for months before. Luis Davila is preceded in death by his mother and father, and his infant sister Maria Antonieta. He is survived by: his wife, Roberta (of Bloomington), his daughters Roxanne (of New Orleans, LA) and Serena (of Washington, D.C.), his son-in-laws Marcello Canuto (of New Orleans, LA) and Mark Apolinar (of Washington, D.C.), his grandchildren Aura Canuto, and Amadeo, Arabella, and Dante Apolinar; his brothers Hector Davila (of San Antonio, TX), Humberto Davila (of Houston, TX), and his sisters Virginia Davila de Tamez (of Monterrey, Mexico), Angelica Staley (of San Antonio, TX), and Carmela Davila (of New Orleans, LA). Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, March 13, 2015 at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Friends may call on Thursday, March 12 from 5:00PM- 7:00PM at the Allen Funeral Home, 4155 S Old State Road 37, Bloomington, IN 47401, and one hour preceding the funeral mass. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Luis Davila's name to the American Diabetes Association. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneralhome.org .

Tributes

Luis Davila

January 23, 1938 - March 8, 2015