Tomás Andrew Morales

1942 - 2020

Tomás Andrew Morales

San Pablo - February 2, 1942 - March 6, 2020

Tomás passed away peacefully at his home in San Pablo, California, surrounded by loving relatives.

Tomás was born in Oxnard, California, to parents Carmen and Andres Rincon Morales. His early years were spent with older brother Richard and younger sister Lucinda in the La Colonia neighborhood. "Tommy" attended Ramona Elementary School, during which time he learned to play the violin and joined the Boy Scouts, and Oxnard High School, where he enjoyed running track for the Oxnard Yellowjackets. He graduated in 1959.

Tomás moved to San Francisco in the late 1960's, where he worked as a silkscreen artist and printer. He was one of the first artists at La Raza Silkscreen Center, and much of his work there focused on spotlighting community action projects and events. Some of his art can now be seen in the Linda Lucero Collection at the UC Santa Barbara library.

Tomás met and married Yolanda Gutierrez in the early1970's, and they had two children, daughter Marinca and son Ariel. The family moved to Oakland, where Tomás continued to donate his time to social justice issues. He was a tireless organizer and a lead plaintiff in a successful lawsuit against the Oakland School District for misuse of bilingual education funds. Though his marriage ended in the early 1990's, Tomás remained a loving and involved parent to his children.

Tomás pursued higher education throughout his life, earning a Certificate in Addiction Studies from JFK University, a BA in Liberal Arts from New College of California, and a Masters Degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. He put his knowledge and experience to good use in his later career as an outreach-worker, counselor, case-manager, and director for agencies such as the Narcotics Education League, the Institute of Scientific Analysis, Marin Aids Project, and the City of San Francisco's FIRST Team.

He conducted research and ethnographic studies for non-profit groups on topics including prison gangs, community alcohol issues, HIV transmission, and more. He wanted his work to contribute to making a positive difference in the world.

Tomás loved spending time with family, catching up with friends old and new, listening and dancing to live music, especially jazz and salsa, watching sports, following current events, traveling, creating and viewing art, being out in nature, and wearing great hats. His life and work brought him into contact with people from a variety of spheres. Those who knew him will remember his sense of humor, his kindness, his patience, his wisdom, and his open-minded spirit.

He will be mourned and missed by so many.

Tomás is survived by long-time partner Marcia Dufton-Woll, daughter Marinca Morales, son Ariel Morales, and grandson Marcello Morales. No services are planned.