Hector Avalos' life included many experiences with death and dying because of his personal battles with disease.
But Avalos defined his life by what he could achieve in the time he had. The longtime professor at Iowa State University left a big imprint.
Lucía Suárez, director of the Latino/a Studies Program at ISU, told the Tribune that Avalos was "the kind of professor that we all wish we were, and that we hope that we are.” She described him as generous, positive and thoughtful.
Avalos founded the Latino/a Studies Program in the 1990s, was a renowned religious studies scholar and a celebrated figure in atheist and agnostic communities.