Dr. Ortiz helped AZ's poor, UFW & Cesar Chavez

TUCSON -- Dr. Augusto Ortiz died on Saturday, Dec. 16th at the age of 89. He and his wife Martha had been married for 62 years. Dr. Ortiz spent his whole career as a doctor attending to the medical needs of poor people in Phoenix and in rural Arizona.

For years Dr. Ortiz with Martha at his side drove a gigantic van into rural areas caring for those who were in need of medical attention. Dr. Ortiz cared for Cesar Chavez when Cesar undertook a forty-day fast in Guadalupe after the Arizona Legislature passed a vicious piece of anti-farm worker legislature. When Cesar was in Tucson, he often stayed with Augusto and Martha in their home.

If you wish to make a donation to the United Farm Workers Union in his honor, you can call Justin Watkins at the UFW headquarters 661.822.5572.

-- from CDH