In Loving Memory of Dallas Leblanc

     Born in New Orleans, Dallas Leblanc grew up the hard way. The youngest of thirteen children, he ran away from home at the age of eleven after being pressured to leave school and work to support the family.  For two years, Dallas lived on the streets of New Orleans-but he never stopped attending school. His determination eventually led him to a compassionate doctor and wife who became his surrogate parents. They took him in, cleaned up his life and even made special shoes for his incredibly large feet.  Dallas Leblanc graduated from high school as the class valedictorian in 1954. 

      After high school, Dallas became a private investigator. His work took him across the United States From Mississippi to Canada. In 1958, Dallas was drafted into the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. He discovered a talent for athletics and became an Olympic level track runner. Returning to the the United States in 1960, he moved to San Francisco and earned his teaching credential from SF State in 1964-launching a career in education that would Touch many people’s lives in the Bay Area.    As an English teacher in South San Francisco’s public schools, Dallas quickly became known for his innovative, and culturally rich approach to learning. He welcomed his students to class playing the piano. His classroom was much more than a place for grammar and literature-they were havens for exploring the faculties of the human mind-with teachings in philosophy, poetry, art history, classical music, ballet, gardening, tai-chi. He even had students climb a geodesic dome as a metaphor for learning to build mental strength and resilience.  Seeking new horizons, Dallas attended Stanford University to explore teaching abroad. This led him to Peru.  In Lima he met a German woman named Sabine. Sabine was a trailblazer in painting watercolors and won a prestigious award normally given to men. Dallas and Sabine fell in love.  From Peru, arrangements were made for Sabine’s children from her first husband to go to Texas where they waited for Dallas and Sabine to find a new home in San Francisco. The children stayed with Dallas and Sabine in SF,until they graduated  From High-school. A fine art studio was built for Sabine downstairs in their home and she began her career teaching Watercolors in the Bay Area.     

      Together Sabine and Dallas loved each other and nurtured each other in San Francisco for forty years going on hikes, to the symphony, opera, ballet and made many new friends in the Bay Area. During the winter months they worked hard and saved money to take trips all over the world, including Egypt, Europe and Indonesia and visiting Sabina’s cousin in Sydney, Australia.  They enjoyed the Sydney opera house and Bondai beach. It was in Australia, that Dallas began writing a short story which endeared him to many friends in the Bay Area about the “butterfly and the grasshopper”. His contagious spirit attracted many to dwell in his garden including Scott and Leah who were married by him and remained lifelong family.  Dallas was an uninhibited free soul who liked to sing opera in random hallways of buildings and play the piano for friends and family. He would sometimes do tai-chi in the parking lot overlooking the ocean at Fort Funston drawing a large crowd of people.   Dallas would do a heartfelt tribute dance to the Native American Ohlone Indians of the Bay Area. He sang in their ancestral tongue and (dressed only in a loin cloth) -Echoed a profound connection to the enduring struggle and the rich Heritage of all Native Americans. His spirituality and connection to the subtle and profound beauty of all living things was evident in his love for gifting flowers to his loved ones.  He was a very passionate man.  He loved to write poetry and short stories. His poem titled “ Awakenings” was cherished by two of his and Sabina’s closest Friends Dr. Bernard and Erena Gordon.

Awakenings by Dallas Leblanc

Looking up at the blue azure sky

The clouds formed a gate

To welcome me

And I went through it

Leaving behind

All things contrived

There are NO illusions here

Only retreats into the mind

Pushing through is a violent act

To find the quality of freedom

Filled with spiritual dreams

We must preserve

We need time to fallow

To find a little quiet each day

To withdraw into ourselves

Maintaining the fertility of our beings

Christian churches nor

Buddhist temples

Have no place here

No gods are required

We are here seeking

The city on the hill

Untouched by the imaginings of men

Mindful of the wisdom within

     Later in life, Dallas moved to southern California to be near his sister Barbara Leblanc. Barbara took care of himIn the last year’s of his life. Dallas Leblanc’s joie de vivre was contagious and his unique persona made a lasting impressionOn all of the people who loved him. The Cajun saltamontes now rejoins his Peruvian love the mariposa on that city on the hill of his beloved poem Awakenings.

Their love will echo in eternity…

Rest in peace Dallas.

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