Alfred Flores

Alfred San Nicolas Flores (June 20, 1916 - February 6, 2009)[1] was a Guamanian politician, lancheru and survivor of the Japanese occupation of Guam during World War II.[2] He was one of the original founders of the Democratic Party of Guam.[2] He served for six terms in the Guam Legislature.[2]

Alfred S.N. Flores
Member of the Guam Legislature
In office
January 2, 1967 – January 4, 1971
Member of the Guam Legislature
In office
January 7, 1957 – January 7, 1963
Personal details
Born
Alfred San Nicolas Flores

(1916-06-20)June 20, 1916
Inarajan, Guam
DiedFebruary 6, 2009(2009-02-06) (aged 92)
Malojloj, Guam
Resting placeOur Lady of Peace Memorial Gardens, Yona
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Ester Duenas
OccupationPolitician, lancheru

Early life

Flores, a lancheru as ranchers are known in Guam, began grazing approximately eight hundred head of cattle and carabao on several acres on his ranch in Inarajan early in his life.[2] He also founded Flores Poultry Farm, which would later grow to include more than 75,000 chickens at a time.[2] Flores also cultivated vegetables and fruit on his farm.[2]

World War II

Flores was just 25 years old at the time of the Japanese invasion of Guam in 1941 during World War II.[2] He began to cultivate rice, all of which was used to feed the Japanese troops during the occupation.[2] His livestock was also confiscated at times during the war in order to feed Japanese forces on the island.[2]

During the war, Flores provided assistance to Father Jesus Baza Duenas, a Chamorro Roman Catholic priest and an outspoken critic of the Japanese.[2] Duena would later be captured and executed by the Japanese military.[2]

Flores' wife, Ester Duenas Flores, was seven months pregnant with the couple's first child when Guam was liberated by the Americans in 1944.[2]

Politics

Flores held many local political offices throughout his long career on Guam. He originally served as an Inarajan commissioner, as well as an Inarajan assemblyman.[2] He also held posts on various boards and committees.[2]

Flores served six terms as a senator beginning in the fourth Guam Legislature.[2]

His often fiery, often passionate speeches earned him the nickname of "Davy Crockett" in Guamanian politics.[2] Flores always ended his campaign speeches with the Chamorro language slogan, "Bai hu puno' i toro," which translates to "I will kill the bull" in English, an allusion to his early life as a lancheru.[2]

Death

Alfred Flores died in his sleep at his home in Malojloj, Guam, on February 6, 2009 at the age of 92.[2] He was survived by his wife of 69 years, Ester Duenas Flores.[2] The couple would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on February 18, 2009.[2]

Flores was also survived by his three children - Lucille, May and Fred - ten grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren.[2]

His viewing and funeral mass were held at the Saint Joseph Church in Inarajan. He was intermediate at Our Lady of Peace Memorial Gardens in Windward Hills, Yona.

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gollark: It's some kind of ancient analog video system, it's been obsoleted several times over.
gollark: What are you even copying *from* onto VHS?
gollark: VHS? Isn't that... quite old?
gollark: Never mind, I used the "search" function and styro said it would be revisited "later on" back in February.

References
  1. ALFRED SN FLORES (1916-2009), Social Security Death Index
  2. Murphy, Connor (2009-02-07). "Former senator Alfred Flores dies at 92". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
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