Fiestas Patrias organizer Rafael Flores dies on Mexican Flag Day

Rafael A. Flores – who as president of the Comité Cívico Mexicano organized the “most beautiful” Mexican Independence Day celebrations in the San Joaquín Valley – died on Mexican Flag Day at the age of 79.

A self-taught man who didn’t finish the sixth grade, Flores moved from his native Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México to take a job as a busboy at the Hacienda Motel & Convention Center. He worked his way up to become banquet manager at the facility that hosted artists like Frank Sinatra, Redd Foxx and Glen Campbell.

Flores, the oldest of eight children, then became president of the local culinary union that represented restaurant workers.

Flores, who was also called Rafael, retired from the union in 1995 and continued his work as a spokesman in the Latino community for personal injury attorney Paul Grossman, a role Flores had for more than three decades.

His role for the attorney, whose office is based in Fresno with a satellite office in Los Ángeles, included about 20 years hosting the ‘Voz del Pueblo’ (The Community’s Voice) radio show on ESPN 1600 AM.

“He would put on the best fiestas patrias here in the Central Valley,” said Lupite Lomelí, longtime host of the Univisión 21 morning show ‘Despierta Valle Central’ (Wake Up Central Valley).

She served as a judge for the Señorita Fiestas Patrias and helped emcee some of the celebration’s entertainment shows.

“Those fiestas were amazing. They were so nice and elegant and beautiful,” said Lomelí, who recently worked with Flores on Facebook Live presentations.

Flores stepped down after 25 years with the Comité Cívico Mexicano in 1999, which was the last year for the Mexican Independence Day celebration in downtown Fresno that featured food booths, a parade, a grand marshall, the queen and entertainment. Since then, the celebration has not been held.

Dennis Grossman, an attorney and the son of Paul Grossman, said his father enjoyed sponsoring those celebrations.

“He used to talk about what a great event it was and what a great job Ralph did putting that on,” said Dennis Grossman. “He looked forward to that event every year.”

Flores, said Dennis Grossman, was critical to the firm’s success in the Latino community.

“He was critical for us. He was the face of our company in the Latino community for all those years,” he said. “We had a presence in the Latino community before him, but then we brought him in and he became the face of the firm in that community.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the spokesperson he was. He was like a family member for us.”

Flores appeared on billboards, newspaper ads, radio and television commercials for the firm.

Flores, said Dennis Grossman, “was a well-liked guy with deep roots in the community.”

“Everyone that I met in the Latino community would tell me that they were best friends,” he said. “He had political connections, knew who owned all the businesses, was friends with all the farmers and the farm labor contractors. He just had deep roots.”

Lomelí said Flores, who was fluent in both English and Spanish, “was very, very honest.”

“He would always talk to you with the truth whether you liked it or not,” she said. “He was always very direct, always trying to help the community by providing them the right information.”

His daughter HannaLiza Flores said her father “actually taught himself English by reading a lot of books.”

Her father coached the junior varsity soccer team at Fresno High while she was a student there.

“He enjoyed traveling and spending time with his family,” she said. “His passion was writing. He always wanted to write a book.”

He received a kidney transplant seven years ago, six months before doctors told him that dialysis would no longer work for him.

“He was really proud of his roots,” she said. “He always made it known that he was from Chihuahua.”

Lomelí said Flores completed his portions of the Facebook Live segments effortlessly and perfectly.

“He had a voice that was just great for radio or whatever,” said Lomelí.

“We’re deeply going to miss Ralph Flores. We are deeply connected to him,” said Dennis Grossman. “We credit him with our success.”

He is survived by his wife Eva; children Gabriela Jaramillo, Carmen Flores, Rafael Flores Jr., and HannaLiza Flores; and seven grandchildren.

Visitation is March 8 at Chapel of the Light, 1620 W. Belmont Ave., from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Recitation of the rosary will March 8 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. March 9 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 2838 N. West Ave.