Fernando E. Chaves

July 29, 1937 - December 4, 2022

The Reverend Fernando Esteban Chaves, 85, a 25 year resident of Downey, California, was born in Sevilla, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia, to parents Reverend Jose Nicodemos Chaves and Clara Rosa Cortés. The youngest of nine children, Fernando grew up in Cali, Colombia. He attended the Central Christian and Missionary Alliance Church-Cali, and as a teenager, was sent to villages and towns to minister to others. Fernando was the Bass voice for the Alliance Quartet that ministered in song at churches and live over the radio.

Fernando attended the prestigious expatriate school, Colegio Americano-Cali, where upon his graduation, he was hired as a science and math teacher due to his intellect and high academic achievement. A few years later, Fernando began teaching Spanish grammar and Mathematics at Colegio Bolivar-Cali, a school for expatriate students.

At the age of 23, Fernando began teaching Spanish grammar, Geography, and Mathematics at the Bible Institute of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Armenia, Colombia. There, Fernando, also a Theology student at the Bible Institute, met his future wife, 21 year old student, Ligia Carvajal. They married in June 1961 and were sent to their first Pastoral posting in Tumaco, Nariño, Colombia. From there, their next post was in Buenaventura, Colombia.

In 1963, following the death of their infant son Carlos, Fernando and Ligia, along with their daughter Fabiola, emigrated to Los Angeles, California, where Fernando enrolled at the Baptist Seminary In East Los Angeles. He pastored at the Fundamental Baptist Church on Ford Ave and also ministered to Spanish speakers in Silver Lake and Echo Park. Fernando decided to get his American high school equivalency diploma and received his GED from Lincoln High School in Lincoln Heights.

Fernando, and his family which now included daughters Ligia Edith and Catalina, moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he become a Youth Minister in Humboldt Park. Fernando served at his oldest brother, Reverend Alfonso’s church, which was the first Spanish language Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Chicago. Fernando became head Pastor in 1971. With the help of his congregation, Pastor Fernando founded several Spanish speaking congregations for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in the greater Chicago area during his years there.

The family, now with a fourth daughter, Mirian, moved back to Southern California in the 1980’s and Fernando continued as a minister of Spanish speaking congregations for the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Lincoln Heights, Lynwood/South Gate, Manhattan Beach and lastly, Gardena. After 61 years of ministry, Pastor Fernando retired as a Minister but continued giving Bible studies until shortly before his death.

Rev. Fernando is survived by Ligia, his beloved wife of 61 years, his four daughters, and seven grandchildren who will greatly miss him.