He touched many lives

(Here was Fred with Dr. Cantu at my chess center in Queens, NY)

Memorial scheduled for veteran, chess pioneer
By GARY LONG
The Brownsville Herald

A memorial service has been scheduled for Fred V. Buitron, a U.S. Army veteran and 20-year Brownsville Independent School District employee who played a key role in district ROTC and chess programs.

Buitron, who was 56, died suddenly of a heart attack on Jan. 9 in Matamoros, where he was living with his wife, Elizabeth Brenda Parra-Buitron, and their 3-year-old son, Victor Fred Buitron.

He was buried at Santa Cruz Cemetery in Matamoros because his wife lacked funds to bring him to the United States, said Minerva Peña, a longtime friend, chess enthusiast and supporter of the military.

“It was the saddest thing I have ever witnessed happen to a U.S.A. veteran,” Peña said in a written statement given to The Brownsville Herald after the funeral. “There were no flag honors, no minister present to say a word at the funeral, only a few friends from Matamoros and Brownsville, including myself, who could make the trip to say good-bye for one last time.”

Peña said it broke her heart to see her friend buried on foreign soil. “The breaking moment for me, was seeing the graveyard’s grounds keeper place a wooden cross with a small 12 inch by 12 inch piece of wooden board with my friend’s name on it, written in with a black marker,” she said.

She recalled that while Buitron’s son looked into the casket he said, “Aqui esta mi papi.” Peña said the boy did not realize it was the last time he would see his father.

The memorial service is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Saturday at VFW Post 43, which is on Veterans Street off Price Road behind the Hygeia Dairy Company. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to his wife and son.

“Fred Buitron exemplified the qualities of a great coach, as evidenced by the numerous awards won by his chess teams,” said Oscar Cantu Sr., who was principal of Hudson Elementary when Buitron was a resource and technology teacher and chess coach there.

“He was a dedicated and creative teacher and was very committed to the success of chess,” Cantu said. “He touched many lives.”

Buitron graduated from Brownsville High School in 1971 and attended Texas A&I University in Kingsville, where he received his ROTC training. In the Army, he was stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., Fort Hood, and Germany. He was honorably discharged, having achieved the rank of captain.

At BISD, he worked in the ROTC programs at Hanna and Porter high schools. He taught at Oliveira Middle School and Hudson Elementary. His Hudson chess teams won awards at national, state and local levels.

Source: http://www.brownsvilleherald.com