MAURICE E. CHESSA

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CHESSA--Maurice Emmett, was born on May 19, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Cecile Marie Pease and Michel "Joe" Chessa. He was the last born of seven children: Conrad, Patricia, Gerald, Lloyd, Michel and Keith and he has now joined them all in eternal rest. He attended Sacramento City College and Sacramento State College in California and he served honorably in the United States Air Force. He also worked for the United States Air Force and the United States Army Corps Reserve. Maurice was a consultant to numerous corporations on the development of labor, social, educational and employment programs. He worked for the United States Post Office, New York State Department of Labor and he held leadership positions with many organizations including the Apex Technical School, Training Resources for Youth, Inc. (Project Try), Opportunities Industrialization Center, Inc., Off Track Betting Corp., Mentor Inc., Bedford Stuyvesant Youth in Action Community Corp. and Commercial Envelope Manufacturing Co., Inc. His passion for human services, his willingness to create hope and possibility for young people and his brilliant program planning and development skills are reflected in his most recent leadership positions which included a near twenty year Directorship with the Bedford Stuyvesant YMCA, where he would later become President and Chairman of the Bedford Stuyvesant I Have A Dream Foundation. He was Executive Director of the Robin Hood Foundation and later a very active Board Member. He helped develop programming that is changing the lives of thousands of New Yorkers. He was an extraordinary writer and enjoyed reading, swimming, boating, bowling, skiing, playing pool and movies. He was active in civil rights with numerous speaking engagements which included radio and television appearances. He wrote several articles on manpower, training and employment for various publications. He was a regular member of the Proctor Hobson Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Family and friends affectionately called him "Reecy" or "Moe" or "Maurie". Maurice was a father, grandfather, friend, mentor, teacher, leader and visionary. He departed this life on Tuesday, December 25, 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Cecile Anderson (George) from Pasadena, CA; his son, Maurece Chesse from Hollywood, CA; his daughter, Drewlyn Simone Chessa (Earl) from Durham, NC; his grandchildren, Perris, Brianna, Denise and Danielle. He also leaves behind a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives, as well as faithful friends, Paul Tudor Jones, David Saltzman, Noel Carrington, Frank Logan III and Col. Raymond Smith. Services on January 3, 2013, 3pm at Roy L. Gilmore Funeral Home, 191-02 Linden Boulevard, St. Albans, NY 11412.
Published in The New York Times on Jan. 2, 2013
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