[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 160 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LIFE OF LOUIS P. ESCOBAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 16, 2020

  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and 
passing of a gentle caring soul. As August turned to September, Louis 
Escobar entered eternal life.
  Louis was a role model to many young people and a mentor to many in 
the LGBTQ community. The first Latino elected to Toledo City Council, 
he served three years as Council President.
  Louis' servant's heart led him to involvement in a wide array of 
Toledo Area community organizations including Northwest State Community 
College, the AIDS Resource Center, The Fair Housing Center, Toledo 
Sister Cities, Toledo/Lucas County Homelessness Board, the Latino Arts 
Council, the Latino/Hispanic Alliance of Greater Toledo, Stonewall 
Democrats, St. Paul's Community Center, the Area Office on Aging and 
many others. Always, his life was helping others to rise.
  Louis was born to Nancy and Peter Escobar. He graduated from Central 
Catholic High School in Toledo, then went on to earn his bachelor's 
degree from St. Mary's College, a Master of Divinity from SS Cyril and 
Methodius Seminary, and a Master of Arts degree from the University of 
Detroit. A loving and deeply spiritual seminarian, he was ordained to 
the priesthood in 1976 and served St. Joseph Tiffin, St. Agnes Toledo, 
and St. Joseph Maumee parishes. He taught at Central Catholic and 
Tiffin Calvert high schools. Later, Louis worked as a counselor and 
probation officer, for the HIV/AIDS Task Force, in community mental 
health through the Zepf Center, Latino empowerment with Adelante, 
serving the most vulnerable while at La Posada, and at Owens Corning 
and the University of Toledo.
  We offer his companion, his mother and brothers, nieces and nephews 
and many dear friends our compassion and sympathy. As they mourn Louis' 
loss, may they find comfort and strength in his memories and his 
teachings.
  Louis Escobar was a kind, gentle, intelligent, brave and pioneering 
soul who endured deep illness for a very long time with such dignity 
and bearing. His struggles as a gay man in the Catholic Church where he 
desired to become a priest, and as a rising Latino leader were 
prophetic and huge. He never yielded as a standard bearer for truth and 
social justice. His election and steady, honorable service on City 
Council rising as its president became part of America's transformative 
social and political change toward human rights and liberty and 
equality for all. Louis Escobar lived the change he knew in his heart 
was essential for humankind to advance the reality of the human 
condition. His lifelong partner Kelly cared for him throughout his long 
illness and set the standard for love and fealty to family. Our 
community mourns his loss and expresses its deep gratitude for his 
courage, love, service, and sacrifice.
  A U.S. flag is being flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of his 
life.

                          ____________________