Chester August Delacruz II

Chester August Delacruz, II, age 80 longtime resident of Biloxi, passed away Tuesday, January 27, 2015 in Ocean Springs.
Chester was born in Biloxi MS on July 12 1934 to Lettie Hendrix Delacruz and Chester Louis Delacruz. He was an only child and graduated from Biloxi HS in 1951 at the age of 16. He received his Bachelor's degree from USM Hattiesburg in 1957, where he received scholarships for pipe-organ study and radio announcing. He was a member of Alpha Psi Omega and Rho Tau Sigma honor societies, American Guild of Organists, WMSU, Southern Players, Wesley Foundation, The Southerner staff, and was voted Best Student Director 1957.
His marriage to Sandra Fredericks Delacruz produced two children, Heather Delacruz Stevens, (Richard Stevens), and their children Brittany Stevens Burleson, Raymond Stevens, Alicia Stevens, and Scott Stevens. His daughter Rachel Delacruz preceded him in death in 1992 at the age of 20.
He married Altha Anna Gemmill Delacruz in 1977. Their children are Christopher Delacruz (Shalee Hughes Delacruz) and their son Dade Delacruz; and daughter Allison Delacruz Armstrong (Dean Armstrong) and their children Anna Rittenhouse and Sean Armstrong. He was also preceded in death by Christopher's daughter, Marley Delacruz.
He was a musician (piano and pipe organ), an artist (watercolors, acrylics, and oils as well as charcoal, pen-and-ink, and pastels), and an avid Theatre participant (directing, acting, scenic designer/artist, costume designer, make-up designer/artist). His scenic art has been seen on stages in Houston, Texas; Shreveport and New Orleans, Louisiana; St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands; Bitburg AFB, Germany; off-Broadway in New York City; as well as Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, and Brandon, Mississippi.
Chester retired from Commercial Art, having been Advertising Art Director for THE SUN HERALD for seven out of ten years employed there, Art Director of First American Printing and Direct Mail for three years, and Resident Artist for the City of Shreveport, Louisiana, for five years.
In 2005 he was nominated for the Visual Arts Award for the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters, and in 2007 he received the Hancock Bank Award for outstanding watercolor painting in the annual Ocean Springs Art Association Show.
As a musician Chester, a member of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, was most recently employed as organist for Saturday evening vigil mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in west Biloxi and pianist for Catholic Sunday Mass, Triangle Chapel, Keesler AFB.
He was a member of Ocean Springs Art Association, and designed court costumes for Harlequin Carnival Ball at the Coast Coliseum for the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 Mardi Gras seasons. He designed the set for ""1776"" for Gulfport Little Theater in February 2013, and played the role of Caesar Rodney, delegate from Delaware. Chester exhibited original art at Biloxi Public Library for one month in early 2013, and made a guest appearance in ""SOUNDS OF THE HOLIDAYS"" at IP Casino, December 5, 2013, Biloxi, directed by close friends David Delk and Twyla Boudreaux-Moore.
The funeral service will be at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at Riemann Family Funeral Home, Biloxi where friend may visit for two hours prior to the service. The graveside service will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2015 at Southern Memorial Park.
""There are many things worse than following your dream...""