Carlos Alfonso Chavez Jr.

Carlos Alfonso Chavez Jr, born on August 8, 1951, in El Paso, TX, was sent to his eternal home on July 19, 2025, in Baltimore, MD, after a critical illness. He was the beloved son of the late Carlos & Hortencia Chavez.

Carlos, or Chacho, as he was affectionately known, was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing him. His journey on this earth was one marked by love, compassion, and his unwavering admiration for all things sports and food related. His passing has left a void in the hearts of his family, friends, and many more whose lives were touched by him, including especially his puppy angel Zoe. We ask that you remember him not for the way his life ended, but for the way it was lived, and for the profound and joyous impact it had on the lives of those who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Carlos is survived by his loving son, Charlie (Chavez) Lombardi, his devoted partner of 25 years Deborah Strauss Lynch, brothers Celso (Sheila) Chavez and Raul Chavez. Carlos also leaves behind cousins Mona, Rita, Loretta, and Anthony Gonzales. And among the nephews and nieces who shared in his joyful spirit, he leaves behind Shawn (Dede) Heath, Lara Chavez, Carlos Chavez, Jephrey (Jaclyn) Chavez, Leah (Chad) Chavez-Bennett, Megan (Joseph) Chavez Anderson, and Sean (Chelsea) Chavez. He was predeceased by his sisters, Cassandra Lombardi, Martha Heath, and sister-in-law Jeannie Cetrone.

Although Carlos was born in El Paso, he was fortunate to have traveled throughout Latin America in his younger years due to his father's (Carlos Chavez Sr.) illustrious career in mining. He was able to live in and explore various cities including Tegucigalpa Honduras, Panama City Panama, Cochabamba and La Paz Bolivia, Lima Peru, Guadalajara Mexico, and Quito Ecuador. There were many adventurous tales from those days that Carlos loved to tell. Upon their return, he graduated from Coronado High School in El Paso Texas in 1971. He then moved to Alexandria Virginia and joined the rest of his close family where his father had been appointed to the Mining Division of the SEC. In Virginia, Carlos pursued numerous interests but of most importance were the lifelong friends he met along the way. They will tell you that he loved ""a good time"" any time and provided more than his share of them. While Carlos was a jack of many trades, he ultimately navigated into an electrical career for which he had much talent and success with.

Anyone who knew Carlos remembers his sometimes over-the-top passion for all sports, all the time, which culminated in total devotion to the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys. He nurtured his son, who became a star high school football player, in athletics and loved involvement in all extracurricular sports activities. He loved soccer and served a tenure as head coach of the soccer youth league for Bren Mar Park & Little River Turnpike All-Stars. He participated and assisted in coaching for numerous other sporting events including Swimming (Bren Mar Park Marlins), Football (Annandale High School), Basketball, and Bowling to name a few.

Outside of his love for family, work, and sports, Carlos found great joy in music, the ocean, and the open road. Nothing made him happier than going to the beach–any beach, but especially Ocean City Maryland in his younger days, New Smyrna Beach Florida, and Naples Florida, and his and Debbie's ""happy place"" in St. Simons Island, Georgia. He loved old time rock-and-roll bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Eagles. (He and Debbie actually met at a Rolling Stones concert!)

Those who knew Carlos will remember him for his generosity, care, infectious smile, overwhelming laughter, and his unwavering commitment to spreading love and kindness to everyone he encountered. He had a rare gift for making others smile and laugh, leaving a lasting impact on all who crossed his path.

Although Carlos's physical presence may no longer grace our lives, his spirit will continue to inspire and uplift us. May his memory be a blessing, and may we carry forth his legacy of love and compassion in all that we do. His light will forever shine brightly in our hearts.

The memorial service to honor the life of Carlos Alfonso Chavez Jr. will be held on August 9, 2025, at 1:00 PM at Fairfax Memorial Park Chapel at 9900 Braddock Rd, Fairfax, VA, USA. Carlos will then be interred at Fairfax Memorial Park with a reception to follow.

The memorial service will be broadcasted live via URL: Link is here.