Eduardo Apodaca
Eduardo (Ed) Apodaca left us for a better place on October 4, 2021. He would have been 80 on October 17. He was born in Santa Rita, New Mexico to Pedro and Maria Apodaca. He met his lifelong companion (La Verne Roybal) in 1958 in high school. They married three days after she graduated high school in 1962. They went on to raise four wonderful children, three sons and a daughter: Eddie (Lisa), Dennis, Jason and Tami (Alan Kelly.)
His wife and children survive him, as well as six grandchildren: Jeff, Tim, Auggie, Dario, Liam and Gillian. Also, his sister, Mary and two brothers, Robert and Gilbert.
He retired from the University of Houston in 2010, after having spent all of his adult life working in higher education.
Services will be held at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Clear Lake on Saturday, October 16, 2021. Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and the mass at 11:00 a.m.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers you consider getting vaccinated so that our elders may continue to share their stories.
Rest In Peace Mr. Apodaca. It was a pleasure working with you at
UH. Prayers for peace for your family.
Rest In Peace Mr Apodaca. The family has my deepest condolences
On behalf of the TACHE State Board, Advisory Board and the entire TACHE family, we extend our prayers and condolences to his wife LaVerne, his family, friends and former colleagues.
Ed Apodaca was both a great friend and leader. He served as President of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) in 1998. For his unwavering support and service, we honored him in 2006 with the TACHE Meritorious Service Award and with the TACHE Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
What a great man. I meet and worked with Mr. Apodaca at the University of Houston he always had a smile on his face and was oh so friendly. We became very good friends. I pray that God will give you and your entire family peace, comfort and strength during this difficult time.
He was one to the great leaders of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) organization. His dedication and service to TACHE will not be forgotten. Our deepest condolences to the family. Our thoughts are with you.
Mr. Apodaca was THE BEST MENTOR AND BOSS I encountered at my time at the University of Houston. His leadership skills were unmatched and he knew how to support and mentor upcoming leaders. His kindness was felt by anyone who met him. What a great man. He will be missed. Condolences to his family at this time.
We had a great loss of a great champion n leader. Our thoughts of sorrow go to LaVerne n family members. Natàlia y José Ángel Gutiérrez.
To my colleague and friend Ed Apodaca and his family I send my most heartfelt condolences. We met for the first time at the “California Chicano Latino Intersegmental Convocation in San Francisco, California, November 1995”.Ed was the person who planned and executed the Convocation. It was a great conference with over 1000 Latino staff and faculty. It was the year I served as TACHE President – for the first time. He informed me at that meeting that he was moving to Texas. The Convocation was the most excellent conference I have ever attended to this date. I knew from that date that he would make a great leader for us in Texas. Ed’s contributions were many once he became a Tejano and Tachista. Thank you Ed and Ed’s family for allowing him to help TACHE define our role as an advocate for Latino Higher Education community. We will pray for you my friend y que en paz descances. Felix A. Zamora
It was with much sorrow to know of Ed’s passing. I extend my best wishes to his family, they have lost a faithful husband, supportive father and warm person. I enjoyed Ed’s friendship and professional involvements. He was committed to the same ideas as other Latinos. These ideas were: fairness, inclusion, against discrimination of all kinds, and most of all the attacks against our culture and nuestra gente. He pointed his time and effort on educational issues, but was concerned with the societal malpractice toward our greater communidad!
I was extremely pleased to learn the was going to Tejas, after taking on California institutions. When he assumed the presidency of TACHE, I knew with certainty that he would bring a new energy and a renewed focus to the original purpose of TACHE.
But Ed’s contribution should be measured by his touching the lives of people he came into contact with. His achievements will grow by the many persons he influenced. His spirit will live through them.
Because of the above and more, he is truly a role model which i hope others will emulate.
Vaya con Dios.
Leonard A. Valverde