2015 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 8
BY SENATORS ALARIO, ADLEY, ALLAIN, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAITOR, CORTEZ, CROWE,
DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY,
MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH, MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK,
PERRY, PETERSON, RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH, WARD AND WHITE
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
passing of Charles H. Tubre of New Orleans, a kind and caring individual who
worked tirelessly as a champion for the rights of the disabled and the elderly as a
consultant, public servant, educator, and administrator.
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre passed peacefully from this life on December 18, 2014,
at the age of seventy-three; and
WHEREAS, he was a gentleman and lifelong crusader for the concerns of the
physically handicapped, mentally disabled, and the elderly; he improved the quality of life
for disabled individuals, in particular, through the improved availability and ready access
of public transportation, housing, education, and cultural venues; and
WHEREAS, during his lifetime, Charles Tubre had a far-reaching effect on the
removal of physical barriers in public places that inhibited the access of the handicapped to
all manner of public services in the city of New Orleans and throughout the state of
Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre experienced, firsthand, the obstacles and limitations
placed upon the physically disabled by society; he had been wheelchair-bound since the age
of fourteen due to a spinal cord injury; and
WHEREAS, fearlessly, Charles did not let anyone or anything stand in his way; he
led the full life that his parents encouraged him to lead; they instilled in him the ambition
and fortitude to follow his dreams and become a contributing member of the community; and
WHEREAS, Charles did exactly that by becoming a frequent spokesman for the
rights of the disabled; he advocated the tenets of independent living; he lobbied local and
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state lawmakers concerning the availability of handicapped services and the removal of
physical barriers to public transportation; and in 1979, he completed a Bachelor of Arts in
sociology from the University of New Orleans with special emphasis on the study of
handicapped individuals and community-based support services for the disabled; and
WHEREAS, his tenure in support services advocacy included positions as president
and executive director of the Independent Living Center, as services coordinator for
state-sponsored programs for handicapped children, as manager of the Disability Prevention
Program within the state office of public health, and as director of advocacy and community
relations for Resources for Independent Living, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, he was appointed to the Mayor's Advisory Council for Citizens with
Disabilities, the Regional Transit Authority's Special Transit Advisory Committee, and the
Governor's Advisory Council on Disabilities Affairs; and
WHEREAS, from 2001 until his death, Charles Tubre had a profound and
far-reaching effect on the delivery of essential services as a systems advocacy specialist and
program director for the Advocacy Center, a state program that functions as a clearinghouse
for public assistance programs made available to the elderly and individuals with disabilities;
and
WHEREAS, as a tireless proponent of access for all with a wealth of understanding
of the legislative process, Charles Tubre ably worked throughout government to best assist
disabled Louisianians while always conducting himself at the acme of his profession; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, the Advocacy Center dedicated its new administration office
at 8325 Oak Street in the Carrollton-Riverbend neighborhood in his honor; and
WHEREAS, the accomplishments of Charles Tubre, both great and small, may seem
incidental to the able-bodied; however, to the physically challenged, these improvements
were uplifting and life-changing, such as the purchase of specialized vehicles for disabled
college students, the guarantee of accessible housing through Section 8 federal grants, and
the funding for personal care attendants for adults with disabilities who sought to live
independently; and
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre's light shone brightest in the establishment of high
standards of handicapped access in public transportation in New Orleans; local
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thoroughfares and cultural venues now provide readily accessible wheelchair ramps; and the
use of mobility devices on streetcars and taxis enhance the travel experience of disabled
tourists, as well as the local populous; and
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre had an admirable work ethic; he believed that if you
wished to feel positive about your work product, then working at the Advocacy Center
would offer that sweet sense of satisfaction; and
WHEREAS, in his leisure time, Charles delighted in the plethora of culture that
surrounded him and he found great satisfaction in artistic expression and painting; and
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre embraced a joie de vivre, the joy of life that was reflected
in his belief that his physical limitations were lessened by the capacity of his mind to dream
and his heart to love; and
WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his father, Richard D. Tubre Sr., mother,
Wilma Johnson Tubre, and sister, Ruth Ann Tanner; and
WHEREAS, Charles Tubre shall be remembered fondly for his unselfish acts of
kindness, his determination, his lifetime of significant contributions of improved
accessibility standards and support services afforded to the disabled citizens of this state, and
his distinguished service to the New Orleans community, both personally and professionally.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express sincere condolences on the passing of Charles H. Tubre, a person blessed with an
immeasurable capacity of empathy for his fellow man.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
family, Douglas Tubre, William Tubre, and Brenda Tubre, and to the Advocacy Center in
New Orleans.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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