David Ernest Avalos
OBITUARY
We remember David Ernest Avalos on the anniversary of his death July 23, 2025.
David was born on September 12, 1947, to Maria Torres and Santos Urquizo Avalos. The fourth of six children, he grew up in Old Town National City (OTNC), with siblings Sister Matilda Teresa, CSJ; Paul Victor (deceased); Monica Workman; Margaret Godshalk; and Delores Reed. An altar boy at St. Anthony’s church, he graduated from St. Augustine High School in 1965. He volunteered for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was stationed in West Germany.
David attended South Bay Trade School, San Diego State University, and UC San Diego all on the G.I. Bill. While at UCSD, he volunteered at the Centro Cultural de la Raza, became involved with Chicano newspaper Voz Fronteriza, and met Committee on Chicano Rights (CCR) Leader Herman Baca. He attended Stanford University (for about 11 weeks) before leaving in good standing to become more involved with the CCR.
While volunteering at the Centro Cultural, David was invited by artist and Centro Director Yermo Aranda to paint a mural in 1974. David continued working with the Centro Cultural in various roles and in 1984 he co-founded the Border Art Workshop/ Taller de Arte Fronterizo (BAW/TAF) with Victor Ochoa, Michael Schnorr, and others. He worked with the Chicano Park Steering Committee, the National City Public Library, Sushi Gallery, Installation Gallery, and other community and artist spaces, museums and commercial galleries and exhibited his work regionally, nationally, and internationally.
An avid reader and keen conversationalist, in 1988 David returned to academia to receive an MFA from UCSD’s Visual Arts Department. In 1991, he became one of the earliest faculty members of the California State University, San Marcos’ School of Arts, beginning a three-decade career which included playing a large part in the California Faculty Association union. David has now been named Eternal Emeritus Professor of Art at CSUSM and in 2026 had a gallery named in his honor by faculty and staff from the School of Arts.
A lifelong artist and cartoonist, his notable works include the “Welcome to America’s Finest Tourist Plantation” Bus Poster (with Liz Sisco and Louis Hock, 1988); San Diego Donkey Cart (1986), whose unlawful removal from public display led to the ACLU taking him as a client in a censorship case; “Hubcap Milagro” series (1980s and beyond); and “Art Rebate/Arte Reembolso” (with Liz Sisco and Louis Hock, 1993). He also collaborated with artists Deborah Small, James Luna, Sal Barajas, Arturo Roman, Raul Jaquez, Yolanda Lopez, poets, photographers, historians, students, and community members. He expressed his love and creativity through various illustrations, sculptures, and sentimental pieces given to family and friends over the years.
He met Veronica Enrique at a CCR fundraiser in 1980. They were married on March 27, 1982, in an outdoor ceremony at the Centro Cultural de la Raza. Together they raised four children: Ximalatl, Tonatzopelic, Graciano, and Adrian; and they had one grandson, Leon.
David was diagnosed with stage IV prostate cancer in November 2024. He lived his final days at his home in National City, California, encircled by his family. He passed peacefully on July 23, 2025, at 8:15am. He was cremated per his wishes. He is survived and dearly missed by his spouse, children and grandson; and his sisters as well as his nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, fellow artists, and dear colleagues. He will be remembered for his wit, ornery and perceptive sense of humor, his discussions on politics, his stories from his travels in Europe and early days of the Chicano Rights movement, his narration of the car rides for school drop off as if it were an Olympic bobsled run, and the joy he had when dancing. On this anniversary of his passing, we take to heart his farewell phrase and pledge to “Be good to each other.”