Hector Aurelio Leon Linares died peacefully in his sleep in the early evening of July 27, 2016 in the Capital Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh where he was a resident for nearly 4 years after having a stroke in October of 2012. He was born on October 16, 1920 in Colombia in the town of Villeta, (Cund.) The first-born child of Aurelio Leon and Maria Linares, he had three brothers and two sisters.

He was an educator for 25 years in his first career, where he progressed from being a science and math school teacher to become a school principal until he retired for the first time. In his second career he worked in the Colombian Ministry of Labor, where he served in various positions including Occupational and Healthy inspector and an Occupational Safety consultant. At one time he reported to Alvaro Uribe Velez, then Minister of Labor, who later was elected President of Colombia. He retired from his second career in 1990 and remained living in the capital of Colombia, Bogota until him and his wife Esther Rios de Leon moved to Raleigh in 1996 to be near their children who already lived there. He really loved living in the United States and was a great admirer of the history, the culture and the land of his adopted country. He was a great swimmer, who mastered the crawl technique since his youth, whom had been inspired by watching films of Olympian champion and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller. He continued swimming into his 90’s. He was a remarkable social person who could easily make friends, he enjoyed joking and being around people, and loved eating out, he had a favorite Chinese food place where he went regularly and visited with the staff. He drew energy and joy from being around his grandchildren. His 90th birthday party was a memorable event surrounded by his family in Raleigh and numerous friends.

He was preceded in death by his eldest son Guillermo Leon a Colombian Air Force pilot, and by his grandchildren Juan Carlos Leon Andrade and Hillary Leon Uribe. He is survived by his wife Esther Rios de Leon, by son Jaime Leon and daughter in-law Martha Uribe-Leon, by daughter Angela Leon and by son in-law Joaquin Ardila, by son Edward Leon, by grandchildren Melanie Leon, Andres Leon, Andrew Ardila, David Ardila, by great-grandson Carlos Leon, by brothers Simon, Luis and Guillermo Leon, and by sisters Sofia and Gloria Leon.

The funeral will be Monday, August 1st with mass at 2:00pm at Saint Raphael Catholic Church, Raleigh. Visitation with the family on Monday between noon and 2pm in the Lewis Hall at St Raphael Church. Interment will be at Raleigh’s Historic Oakwood Cemetery, following the mass service.