Judge Alfred G. Leal
1944-2019
Judge Alfred "Al" Garcia Leal, 75, passed away on Thursday, October 31, 2019. A native Houstonian, Judge Leal was preceded in death by his parents, Concha and Elisandro Perez Leal and brothers Fidel Leal, Mario Leal, and Ellis Leal. He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Mary Leal; children, Michele Leal, Amanda Leal and Evan Leal; grandchildren, Mateo Parada and Camila Parada; his brother, Robert Leal; sister, Mercedes Leal; his uncle, Oscar Garcia, his sons-in-law, George Farah and Tony Parada, as well as his sisters-in-law, Fran Leal, Aurora Leal, Terry Leal and Tammi Wallace and many nieces and nephews and their children.
A son of a refugee of the Mexican Revolution, Judge Leal was educated in Houston public schools before attending the University of Houston, where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in psychology. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the 4th Infantry Division of the Army, where he utilized his psychology background to serve as a medic and received the Combat Medical Badge, in recognition of his service under hostile fire.
Upon returning home, he began law school at South Texas College of Law and later transferred to the University of Houston. During this time, he was a substitute teacher at several schools in HISD, which is where he first developed a passion for working with and helping young people, something he continued to do throughout his lifetime. He was appointed in 1979 to serve as a Municipal Court Judge and, three years later, was elected Judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 9, where he had a reputation for presiding with fairness, integrity and a deep respect for the law.
Always working in service to his community, over the years Judge Leal served as a Precinct Judge, State Democratic Executive Committee member and an active member of the Mexican American Bar Association of Houston, while also supporting community organizations such as Wesley House, Communities in Schools and the Houston Hispanic Forum. Forever a teacher at heart, he frequently encouraged and mentored other candidates for political office, especially women and Latinos, who he felt had so much to offer yet were so greatly underrepresented. He was also a senior fellow in American Leadership Forum's Class XII.
Known for his optimism and enthusiasm for life, he was always the life of the party, telling stories and sharing his signature Leal humor in the form of one-liners that became widely known as "Lealisms". In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his family and with nature, tending to his plants or fishing at his beach house.
His family invites you to join them on Thursday evening, November 7th from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Morales Funeral Home to share a story or your favorite "Lealism". A memorial service will begin at 6 p.m. A funeral mass will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, followed by a lunchtime reception at Morales Radio Hall at 11:30. In lieu of flowers, for those wishing to honor Judge Leal, scholarship contributions may be made to the Al Leal Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of the Morales Memorial Foundation, 2901 Canal St., Houston, Texas 77003.