Magdaleno F. "Leno" Díaz

May 6, 1919 - February 10, 2015 Magdaleno (Leno) F. Díaz entered El Otro Barrio (the next neighborhood), as he would quip, on February 10, 2015. He was 95. Born in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, on May 6, 1919, Díaz crossed into the United States at an early age. His family of 10 siblings settled in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights and Maravilla neighborhoods. He became a naturalized citizen and served in World War II, 1942-45, as an airplane mechanic in the China-Burma-India Theater, for which he received several commendations. After the war, he earned a B.A. in Education at Texas Western College (now University of Texas, El Paso). In 1954, he started what would be a 25-year career as a classroom teacher and education administrator in San Bernardino and Riverside. In 1973, he earned an M.S. in Education from California State University, Fullerton. Díaz was active in bilingual education professional associations and served as a scoutmaster, member of Hispanic chambers of commerce, Kiwanis Club member, deputy registrar of voters and public library trustee. He was an advocate for the Latino community in the Inland Empire, active in the Mexican American Political Association, la Sinfonia Mexicana in San Bernardino, Casa Ramona and many other organizations. Always curious and a history and geography nut, Díaz travelled throughout the country, Mexico, Latin America, Canada, Europe, China and Japan. In retirement he pursued a long-time pursuit as an art-maker. Tato Leno, his assumed artist moniker, produced many drawings, paintings and votive niches, utilizing found objects. Leno Díaz was a devoted husband of 65 years to Elisa Díaz, also a retired schoolteacher. He was a caring, generous and admired husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and mentor to many. Díaz is survived by his wife Elisa Díaz; sister Liduvina (Ruby) Castellanos of Seal Beach, CA; brother Angel Díaz of Tucson, AZ; son Eduardo Díaz of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.; Katharine A. Díaz, an author and editor in Los Angeles; granddaughter Micaela Díaz-S¿nchez, professor at Mt. Holyoke College, MA; Siboney Díaz-Sánchez, architectural associate, San Antonio, TX; Beva Sánchez-Padilla, former daughter-in-law and cultural worker, Albuquerque, NM; and many nieces and nephews in California, Texas, Colorado, New York, Connecticut, Virginia and France. He is terribly missed. Qué en paz descanse.