Tim Chavez, RIP
Posted on June 19, 2009 at 11:17 amTim Chavez, former columnist for the Tennessean, died last night at 6:15 p.m after a long bout with leukemia. He wrote about finding out that his illness returned in a blog posting on May 10th:
I never believed my leukemia would be over. The only lesson God wanted me to learn was to appreciate the moments of extra living he gave me, along with the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the 24/7 dedication of my heroic wife. She fought everyone from insurance companies to doctors for me. But I forgot too much of her heroics, which is to my great shame.
With my leukemia back, the moments become more precious. What book would one write at this stage of such a story? What should the world know? What feelings should rise to the surface to make the reader remember the moral?
One of the tasks I’m trying to complete is asking forgiveness from many people I have hurt in the past nine months in particular. Just like telling people “I love you, offering a balm from an unnnecessary hurt is very important. And there are friends in Oklahoma I treated most badly.
Where my life goes from here, I do not know. There won’t be a book. That I know for sure.
Chavez survived an earlier two-year-long battle with leukemia in 2006 only to return from long term disability leave from the Tennessean to find that his job had been eliminated.
Less than a year ago, Chavez broke the story Juana Villegas, a pregnant illegal immigrant forced to give birth in the custody of the Davidson County Sheriff, which became national news.
SEE ALSO: The Nate Rau obit
FROM THE COMMENTS:
“This is terribly sad news. Tim was an early supporter of charter schools and his Tennessean column was a very effective platform to advance educational innovation for the underprivileged. He took a lot of grief for it. The passage of charter schools legislation on the day he left this life is a wonderful tribute. Great guy, great writer.” ~ L
Comments
23 Responses to “Tim Chavez, RIP”
Tim, please rest in peace.
OH, WOW.
That’s very sad. Tim was a great advocate for immigrants and the poor. My prayers go out to his family and friends.
Oh how awful. R.I.P.
This is terribly sad news. Tim was an early supporter of charter schools and his Tennessean column was a very effective platform to advance educational innovation for the underprivileged. He took a lot of grief for it. The passage of charter schools legislation on the day he left this life is a wonderful tribute. Great guy, great writer.
How very sad.
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
Things like this are sad but its how life goes.
ACK -
Thanks for posting this touching tribute. Tim will certainly be missed by many of us.
Cheers,
Rob
I’m sorry I never got to know Tim beyond a few e-mail exchanges, as our careers intersected only briefly and recently. But I had great respect for him as a man of principle who expressed his opinions in print with a refreshing lack of cant and posturing.
My thoughts are with his loved ones.
[...] through what they wrote. Tim was the one who broke the news about Juana Villegas. I will miss him. ACK has more. Ultimately, Life is just life. It’s having God with you in the good and bad times and always [...]
This is a great loss for Nashville. Tim was a passionate crusader for a variety of causes.
He will be missed. Thank you, Tim, for all you did as a writer and a human being.
Tim was one of the best.
Sad to hear this news.. RIP Tim
Go to your rest, Tim Chavez. You ran a good race.
Peace to his family.
I had opinions of Chavez directly contrary to those of many of you, but I sent him encouraging and sympathetic messages during his illness, though he declined to post them. I have lost a family member to leukemia, and one is in remission — I know what he went through.
As bad as it was, some good things came out of this illness for Tim, and he did have warning and time to get some parts of his life in order. May the longtime Sun shine upon you, Tim, all Love surround you, and the pure Light within you guide your way home.
A true gentleman. My family has had the honor of knowing Tim for 7 years. Always with a smile and so thoughtful. We will miss him dearly.
Thank you Tim for all those Sunday seats.
He helped so many disadvantaged children in Nashville and shined the spotlight on everyday people doing amazing works fro others.
Wow, I hate to hear that. My condolences to those who were close to Tim.
Tim Chaves was too unpredictable for the Tennessean, so The Tennessean unceremoniously let him go while he was in the hospital battling for his life against leukemia.He could not be controlled by The Tennessean, so in his place we got the Lady from India.
As I remember, there was no mention of why he was gone. His column just disappeared. He could have a so called liberal slant or a so called conservative bent. He just reported it as he saw it.
This world would be a much better place with more like Tim Chavez.
We had Tim on the show many months ago to tell of the intersection of his personal and professional lives focused through the lens of cancer. It was a very memorable conversation, and I was shocked to learn of his death upon returning from a wedding this weekend. I’d be surprised if there was anyone who agreed with him on issues across the board and across the time of his active writing, but it’s clear that he impressed many (including me) with the combination of clarity of thought and passion of pen he applied to his craft. I will always regret not having had the opportunity to have more conversations with him.
Best wishes and regards to his family and friends.
I am sorry to hear about the passing of my classmate Tim. From the comments i have read Tim had made peace with God and hisself. I have nothing but praise for his wife for staying by his side. He spoke of you very highly. If you need anyhing please feel free to contact anyone from the class of 77. May God Keep you and comfort you.
Sincerely
Jeanise Smith Jones
I knew Tim in high school and in fact he was the one that asked for me to be in the senior play. I am sorry to hear of his passing. He always has something to say.
The class of `77 will miss him.
James Ray