PFCMelesio"Mel"Casas
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Profile last modified | Created 21 Feb
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Melesio Casas was a Chicano artist, writer teacher and activist. However, prior to the fame he achieved in the art world, he was called to serve in the United States Army. His service as a light weapons infantryman was from to , during the Korean War where he earned the Purple Heart for bravery. After the war he went to college using the G.I. Bill. In he received his B.A. degree from Texas Western College at El Paso (now the University of Texas at El Paso). His MFA was granted by the University of the Americas in Mexico City in
Mel Casas's teaching career began at Jefferson High School in El Paso, Texas. However, he later taught for 29 years at San Antonio College and became Chairman of the Art Department before retiring in After retirement Casas and his wife Grace went to Italy where they spent two years in Brandisi and two in Sicily. Casas died in his home following a two-year battle with cancer, surrounded by his family and his wife of 35 years, Grace Casas. They had one child, Bruce, and with his first wife, Maria, there were four children: Alfredo, Ingrid, Mike and Sonya. Melesio Casas is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Examples of his work can be viewed at his website, the second link below. Large numbers of his paintings are part of three groups each entitled "Humanscape".
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