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Aug. 23, 1958 – July 31, 2020

CLAYTON — A private Memorial service for Omar Villalobos Cavazos, 61, of Clayton, LA will be held at a later date under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home.
Mr. Cavazos was born on Saturday, August 23, 1958 in Raymondville, TX the son of Adelita Villalobos and Reyes Maldonado Cavazos and passed away Friday, July 31, 2020 in Natchez, MS.

He was a lifelong educator and band director teaching at Huntington School in Ferriday, LA, Block High School in Jonesville, LA, and with the Natchez-Adams School District until the time of his death. Having moved to Natchez from Texas in 1967, Mr. Cavazos attended Natchez public schools throughout most of his youth and graduated from South Natchez-Adams High School in 1977. Mr. Cavazos also graduated from Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, LA on May 9, 1981 earning a BME Degree in Secondary Music Education for Band and Orchestra. Mr. Cavazos also attended Graduate School at Alcorn State University in Lorman, MS and attended educational conferences in Chicago, IL, San Antonio, TX, and at USM in Hattiesburg.

As a senior at South Natchez-Adams High School, Mr. Cavazos was elected as a member of the All-American Band Hall of Fame from Purdue University in Indiana and received the Blue Ribbon Award and Gold Key Award for his art work from the Mississippi Junior Scholastic Art Competition in Jackson, MS leading to his art work being displayed for competition at the National Junior Scholastic Art Competition in New York City, N.Y. His artwork was also featured as the cover page of the school literary magazine, “The Compendium”. His artwork also won several awards in the local Pilot Club Art Show.

Mr. Cavazos served as class officer for the Northeast Louisiana University Bands (The Sound of Today) for two years and president on his final year. He was a member and treasurer of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Music Fraternity, member and secretary of Kappa Kappa Psi Professional Band Fraternity, member of the Mississippi Band Masters Association, past president of the S.W.MS. Band Directors Association, Louisiana Band Masters Association, Louisiana Music Educators Association, Texas Band Masters Association, Music Educators National Conference, The International Trumpet Guild, The National Band Association, MENC, The Humane Society of the United States, Plan USA Foster Parent in Nicaragua, The National Federation of Interscholastic Music Association, The Historic Natchez Concert Winds and Percussion, and an original member of the Natchez “Star Dusters” Big Band Orchestra. Mr. Cavazos also performed with the Monroe Little Theatre, the Natchez Little Theatre, and performed for American Presidential Candidate Ronald Reagan, and American Presidential Candidate George Bush, Sr. and was selected “Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers” while teaching at Block High School in Jonesville, La.

Mr. Cavazos was a member of the National Educators Association, NCLR (National Council of LA RAZA, Washington, DC), NAACP, MHA (MS Hispanic Association), MAE (MS Association of Educators), Advisory Board member of Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association, past owner/Sponsor of Video X-Press and the girls softball team in Start, LA along with Movie Magic and the girls softball team in Rayville, LA. He was an avid supporter of the Natchez Humane Society, the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the Natchez Children’s Home.

Mr. Cavazos was preceded in Death by his father, Reyes Maldonado Cavazos, Mother, Adelita Villalobos Cavazos, and niece, Liza Diana Nichols.

He is survived by his sisters, Irene Nelson and her husband Mark of Clayton, LA, Diana Williams and her husband Cleve of Vidalia, LA, nieces Marcie Nelson of Quitman, La, Stephanie Thibadeaux and her husband Michael of Bossier City, LA, Nephew Tyler Crosby of Vidalia, LA, great nieces Brooke Sims and Shelby Nugent, and great nephew Colin Thibadeaux

Honorary Pallbearers will be Dr. Anthony L. Morris, Fred Marsalis, Lorenzo Stampley, Frank C. Heard, Jr., Clarence K. Gibson, Officer William Mitchell, IV, and David I. Beach. Darryl Nugent, Michael Rodriguez, Oscar Rodriguez, Jamie Hernandez, Gary G. Hernandez, David Villalobos, Hector Villalobos, Robert Guerrero, Raul Garza, II, Travis Burrow, Roy Garcia, Curt Smith, Larry Buckley, Dale Young, Michael Benoit, the Morgantown School family and the members of the Natchez-Adams School District Band Department.

The family requests memorials to be made to the Natchez Humane Society, the Natchez Children’s Home, or the American Red Cross.

Professional Organizations, Affiliations & Honors:

International/National Professional Organizations/Affiliations

ITA – The International Trumpet Guild

NBA – The National Band Association

MENC – Music Educators National Conference: The National Association for Music Education

NFIMA – National Federation of Interscholastic Music Association

VFW – Veterans of Foreign Wars (Financial Supporter)

Past Treasurer: Kappa Kappa Psi Professional Band Fraternity

Past Secretary: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Professional Music Fraternity

The American Red Cross (Volunteer and Financial Supporter)

The Humane Society of the United States

Plan, USA – International Forster Parent

The Smithsonian Institution

NEA – National Education Association, Gaithersburg, MD

ACLU – American Civil Liberties Union, New York City, New York

NCLR – National Council of LA RAZA: National Organization making a difference for Hispanic Americans, Washington DC

NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Baltimore, MD

GPP – Gallup Poll Panel Advisory Group, Omaha, Nebraska

Regional/State Professional Organizations/Affiliations

MHSAA – The Mississippi High School Activities Association

MBA – The Mississippi Bandmasters Association

LBA – The Louisiana Bandmasters Association

LMEA – The Louisiana Music Educators Association

TBA – The Texas Bandmasters Association

TMEA – The Texas Music Educators Association

Past President: SWMBDA – The Southwest Mississippi Band Directors Association

Advisory Board: SWMEPA – Southwest Mississippi Electric Power Association

Mississippi State Troopers Association (Financial Supporter)

The Salvation Army (Financial Supporter)

Past President: University of Louisiana Bands, Monroe, LA

Monroe Little Theatre Orchestra, Monroe, LA

Owner/Sponsor: Video X-Press Girls Softball Team, Start, LA

Owner/Sponsor: Movie Magic Girls Softball Team, Rayville, LA

State of Louisiana Certified Foster Parent

The “Stardusters” Big Band Orchestra – Natchez Charter Member

Natchez Little Theatre Musician

Historic Natchez Concert Winds and Percussion

Natchez Humane Society

Natchez Children’s Home: Visitation Volunteer, Financial supporter

MHA – Mississippi Hispanic Association, Jackson, MS

NAACP – Region V

MEA – Mississippi Association of Educators, Jackson, MS

ACAE – Adams County Association of Educators

Workshops/Clinics/ Continuing Education

The Midwest Clinic – Chicago, IL

All-South Honor Band Clinic – University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS

TMEA Clinic – San Antonio, TX

LMEA Clinic – Baton Rouge, LA

MBA Clinic – Biloxi, MS

SWMBDA Clinic – Southwest Mississippi Community College, Summit, MS

Co-Lin Band Clinic – Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Wesson, MS

Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration

Alcorn State University, Graduate Studies

Honors

All-American Band Hall of Fame Inductee, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

Scholastic Art Award – Gold Key & Blue Ribbon Award Recipient for State of Mississippi

Gold Key Scholastic Art Award – National Competition, New York City, New York

Musical Arts League of Natchez Scholarship Recipient

Who’s Who Among America’s High School Teachers

Performed for Presidential Candidate Ronald Reagan

Performed for Presidential Candidate George Herbert Walker Bush, Sr.

Other dignitaries performed for: US Senator Trent Lott

U.S. Senator Thad Cochran

U.S. Representative Chip Pickering

National Park Service Director Ms. Fran Mainella, Washington, DC

Mississippi Senator Bob Dearing

Several past and present regional/local city mayors and dignitaries

To leave an online condolence for the family please visit www.youngsfh.com.