Professor Emeritus Luis Davila, 77, died Sunday at Meadowood Retirement Community, according to a press release from the La Casa Latino Cultural Center.
Davila worked as a professor in the Latin American and Latino Literature program and also taught in the Spanish and Portuguese departments.
He joined the IU faculty in 1969 and worked until his retirement in 2011.
He was deeply involved in the Latino community on campus and continually supported it.
The Latino Alumni Association awarded Davila the 2008 Distinguished Latino Faculty Award to recognize his service to the University and the Latino community and department.
Davila also founded the journal La Revista Chicano-Riqueña with Nick Kanellos in 1973.
He served as the faculty adviser for the Chiricú journal, which was one of the few U.S. Latino journals that was published entirely by graduate students start to finish.
The journal continues to be published annually with Latino literature and literary criticisms.Davila had a passion for landscaping and gardening outside of his academic pursuits, according to the press release.
“In the rare moments where you did not see him with a book or newspaper in his hand, he was taking care of his flowers,” according to the press release. “He had the patience and care to cultivate a breathtaking rose garden at the Davila residence.”
Davila is survived by two daughters, Roxanne and Serena, and four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today at the St. Paul Catholic Center. The family is asking that instead of sending flowers, friends make memorial contributions to the American Diabetes ?Association.
Alison Graham
