William Stephen “Bill“ Chaves was born to William & Helene Hope Johnson Chaves on May 7th, 1956, in Tulsa, OK, and passed away on September 6, 2024, in Houston, TX, at the age of 68.

Bill had a somewhat unique parental background. His father was a Chemical Engineer and a naturalized US citizen who was originally from Bogotá, Colombia.  His mother was a homemaker from Tahlequah, OK.  Bill earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Houston. During his lifetime, he lived in various states (Oklahoma, California, Texas) and one foreign country (Argentina) before permanently settling in Houston.

Bill spent 30 years as a Licensed Professional Counselor, helping children, adolescents, families and adults navigate difficult situations and life challenges.

He was of the Christian faith and was a member of the Presbyterian church before exploring Catholicism in his later life.

Bill was a lifelong bachelor. He enjoyed traveling, reading, different musical genres (rock and roll, classical, stage and movie soundtracks) and visiting museums. He especially liked spending time with his sister during the weekends, where they would enjoy restaurants, shops, and long walks together. He was also a devoted and caring son who regularly visited his parents and spent as much time as he could with them.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his brother, Carl Chaves, of Broken Arrow, OK, and sister-in-law, Kay Chaves; his sister, Kathleen Chaves Bellah, of Houston, TX, and brother-in-law, G. Gordon Bellah, Jr.; his nephews, James Bellah, of Houston, TX, and David Bellah, of Hoboken, NJ; and, his nieces, Eileen Chaves, of Worthington, OH, and Kelly Chaves, of Edmond, OK; and, various South American paternal cousins and North American maternal relatives (an Aunt, Uncles, and numerous cousins) .

He will be very much missed by his family.

Condolences to the family can be sent to:  Gilcrease Museum Annual Fund | Gilcrease Museum