SLS 15RS-80 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 8
BY SENATOR ALARIO
CONDOLENCES. Expresses sincere condolences upon the passing of Charles Tubre, an
advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities and the elderly.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
3 passing of Charles H. Tubre of New Orleans, a kind and caring individual who
4 worked tirelessly as a champion for the rights of the disabled and the elderly as a
5 consultant, public servant, educator, and administrator.
6 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre passed peacefully from this life on December 18, 2014,
7 at the age of seventy-three; and
8 WHEREAS, he was a gentleman and lifelong crusader for the concerns of the
9 physically handicapped, mentally disabled, and the elderly; he improved the quality of life
10 for disabled individuals, in particular, through the improved availability and ready access
11 of public transportation, housing, education, and cultural venues; and
12 WHEREAS, during his lifetime, Charles Tubre had a far-reaching effect on the
13 removal of physical barriers in public places that inhibited the access of the handicapped to
14 all manner of public services in the city of New Orleans and throughout the state of
15 Louisiana; and
16 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre experienced, firsthand, the obstacles and limitations
17 placed upon the physically disabled by society; he had been wheelchair-bound since the age
18 of fourteen due to a spinal cord injury; and
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1 WHEREAS, fearlessly, Charles did not let anyone or anything stand in his way; he
2 led the full life that his parents encouraged him to lead; they instilled in him the ambition
3 and fortitude to follow his dreams and become a contributing member of the community; and
4 WHEREAS, Charles did exactly that by becoming a frequent spokesman for the
5 rights of the disabled; he advocated the tenets of independent living; he lobbied local and
6 state lawmakers concerning the availability of handicapped services and the removal of
7 physical barriers to public transportation; and in 1979, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in
8 sociology from the University of New Orleans with special emphasis on the study of
9 handicapped individuals and community-based support services for the disabled; and
10 WHEREAS, his tenure in support services advocacy included positions as president
11 and executive director of the Independent Living Center, as services coordinator for
12 state-sponsored programs for handicapped children, as manager of the Disability Prevention
13 Program within the state office of pubic health, and as director of advocacy and community
14 relations for Resources for Independent Living, Inc.; and
15 WHEREAS, he was appointed to the Mayor's Advisory Council for Citizens with
16 Disabilities, the Regional Transit Authority's Special Transit Advisory Committee, and the
17 Governor's Advisory Council on Disabilities Affairs; and
18 WHEREAS, from 2001 until his death, Charles Tubre had a profound and
19 far-reaching effect on the delivery of essential services as a systems advocacy specialist and
20 program director for the Advocacy Center, a state program that functions as a clearinghouse
21 for public assistance programs made available to the elderly and individuals with disabilities;
22 and
23 WHEREAS, as a tireless proponent of access for all with a wealth of understanding
24 of the legislative process, Charles Tubre ably worked throughout government to best assist
25 disabled Louisianians while always conducting himself at the acme of his profession; and
26 WHEREAS, in 2012, the Advocacy Center dedicated its new administration office
27 at 8325 Oak Street in the Carrollton-Riverbend neighborhood in his honor; and
28 WHEREAS, the accomplishments of Charles Tubre, both great and small, may seem
29 incidental to the able-bodied; however, to the physically challenged, these improvements
30 were uplifting and life-changing, such as the purchase of specialized vehicles for disabled
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1 college students, the guarantee of accessible housing through Section 8 federal grants, and
2 the funding for personal care attendants for adults with disabilities who sought to live
3 independently; and
4 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre's light shone brightest in the establishment of high
5 standards of handicapped access in public transportation in New Orleans; local
6 thoroughfares and cultural venues now provide readily accessible wheelchair ramps; and the
7 use of mobility devices on streetcars and taxis enhance the travel experience of disabled
8 tourists, as well as the local populous; and
9 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre had an admirable work ethic; he believed that if you
10 wished to feel positive about your work product, then working at the Advocacy Center
11 would offer that sweet sense of satisfaction; and
12 WHEREAS, in his leisure time, Charles delighted in the plethora of culture that
13 surrounded him and he found great satisfaction in artistic expression and painting; and
14 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre embraced a joie de vivre, the joy of life that was reflected
15 in his belief that his physical limitations were lessened by the capacity of his mind to dream
16 and his heart to love; and
17 WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his father, Richard D. Tubre Sr., mother,
18 Wilma Johnson Tubre, and sister, Ruth Ann Tanner; and
19 WHEREAS, Charles Tubre shall be remembered fondly for his unselfish acts of
20 kindness, his determination, his lifetime of significant contributions of improved
21 accessibility standards and support services afforded to the disabled citizens of this state, and
22 his distinguished service to the New Orleans community, both personally and professionally.
23 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
24 express sincere condolences on the passing of Charles H. Tubre, a person blessed with an
25 immeasurable capacity of empathy for his fellow man.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
27 family, Douglas Tubre, William Tubre, and Brenda Tubre, and to the Advocacy Center in
28 New Orleans.
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Susan P. Montague.
DIGEST
SCR 8 Original 2015 Regular Session Alario
Expresses condolences upon the death of Charles H. Tubre of New Orleans.
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