Ricardo Angel Rojas Canamar

“El Arquitecto Ricardo Angel Rojas Cañamar” gained his Angel Wings and slipped quietly from this plain of existence on Sunday morning, March 6th, at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, with his wife Marna, lovingly holding his hand. “Chacho”, as he was known by all who loved him, was the first-born son of Ricardo Santos Rojas Dominguez and his beloved Maria de las Mercedes Cañamar Garza.

He was born on August 2, 1934 in the small town of Matamoros, Tamaulipas. The birth had been planned by the young, expectant couple to take place in Brownsville, Texas, but the great Rio Grande had flooded the pueblo of Matamoros days before, impeding travel into the United States. Chacho’s father had one of the only two-story office buildings in the town and it was there that Chacho came into the world, on-top of his father’s desk, on the second floor, protected from the flood waters. He was born an Architect.

Chacho spent most of his youth in Mexico City, and would attribute his lifelong love affair with the Pacific Paradise of Acapulco to a trip taken there with his parents at the age of 6. He was so moved by his first encounter with the Pacific Ocean that he dreamed to return one day to make the port his home. Even though his birthplace was elsewhere, after this first trip as a young boy, Chacho always considered himself an “Acapulqueño.”

Chacho’s formal education took place in The School of Architecture at Mexico City’s prestigious Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, where he studied the works of Mies Van Der Roe, Philip Johnson and Frank Lloyd Wright, all great architects of the era whose styles were recognized for their rigid discipline of function. Chacho excelled as a student and was considered a leader among his classmates, many of whom would become lifelong friends. During his second year of academics, he was hired as a draftsman by the engineering firm of Sanchez-Navarro & Pellicer, which was developing ambitious projects in Acapulco. Chacho would close his books late in the day on Friday afternoon, jump in his little red DKW vintage convertible and drive several hours to wake up in Acapulco, taking full advantage of every working weekend to enjoy the sunshine and ocean breezes. Soon, even while completing his education, he would be given the great opportunity and responsibility of designing several exclusive residences for important personalities in the coastal city.

Upon graduating, Chacho took his first of many trips to Europe at the age of 25, where he was mesmerized by the sensual architecture of Jacques Couëlle, the visionary who created the spectacular residential development of “Port la Galere” on the French Riviera. He traveled for months along the Mediterranean coastal highways from Gibraltar to Egeo absorbing the richness of the sculpturesque influence in architecture he found hugging the mountainsides, and upon his return to Mexico, Chacho sought to recreate in Acapulco that style of architecture that had so moved him on his recent travels. He found Acapulco’s warm luminous climate and lush tropical vegetation ideal for the development of his own personal style of architecture, which was characterized by sensual, flowing lines that integrated magnificent exterior and interior  living spaces, and merged in perfect harmony with the exuberant natural surroundings and everchanging seascapes. Prolific throughout his career that spanned over 50 years, Chacho is recognized internationally as one of the avant garde architects, whose early contributions helped thrust Acapulco into becoming the important tourist destination for which it is still recognized today.  In the Golden Years (1960-1985) enjoyed by Acapulco, he was among an elite circle of powerful promoters of the rapidly growing city, who understood and created spaces for, the lifestyle that celebrities from around the world were searching for in a tropical destination. It was during this same period also that Chacho brought forth the “project” for which he was most proud: his two sons, Ricardo and Juan Carlos.

He was commissioned to design and build over 100 exclusive villas in the prestigious area of Las Brisas, and his commercial contributions have been numerous and include several discoteques, those spectacular centers of the nightlife for which Acapulco is now famous. He was associated as a Partner in the creation of the famed UBQ Discoteque, one of the first in the world to have its own private Beach Club. There he welcomed with his magnetic personality and style many international celebrities. In 2003 the Acapulco Chapter of the Academia Nacional de Arquitectura awarded Chacho the coveted Award of Merit in Architecture in the State of Guerrero for his professional trajectory. At the same time he was named a Lifelong Member of the Academy. Whenever he was asked what his favorite arquitectural creation was, Chacho’s response was always the same: “The next one.”

In 1987, the stars aligned and Chacho Rojas and Marna Niebergall (of Sycamore, IL) met and fell in love. They were married in 1989 and together they enjoyed a life of shared passions for art and design, music, travel, nouvelle cuisine, fine wine, family reunions and four-legged friends. Family, above all was forever a source of great joy. Because of security issues that continued to plague their city, the couple moved to the United States in 2011, and assumed residence in Barrington, IL, with the dream to one day return to their beloved Acapulco. That dream was never realized, but Chacho was genuinely happy and proud to be granted Citizenship of the United States of America in 2017. In his later years, Chacho faced the physical limitations imposed by his Parkinson’s Disease with grace and courage. He was grateful for the care given to him by his knowledgeable and compassionate medical team. He greeted each new day with his engaging smile and endearing sense of humor.

Chacho is survived by Marna, his wife of 33 years, his two beloved sons: Ricardo Rojas Ortiz and Juan Carlos Rojas Ortiz and their Mother, Maria del Carmen Ortiz Medina who had been married to Chacho for 23 years, his brother, Ramiro (Ana Maria) Rojas Cañamar and his sister, Maria Eugenia (Victor) Riquelme, as well as his cherished grandchildren: Ricardo, Pamela, Jessica, Giulia, Nina and Mauricio. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Roberta Niebergall and three sisters-in-law: Ella Travesi de Rojas, Julie (Dan) Schuelke, Angela (Larry) Euhus and many nieces and nephews.

Chacho was preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers, Manuel Rojas Cañamar and Carlos Rojas Cañamar, as well as his father-in-law, Ross Niebergall and his brother-in-law, Barrie Niebergall.

To honor Chacho’s great love for the ocean and all natural bodies of water, the family opted for a flameless cremation, overseen by Davenport Funeral Home of Barrington, IL.

A Celebration of Life for Chacho is planned for Abril 2, 2022 at 5:00pm. in the Salon Timon, Hotel Elcano in Acapulco. All who knew and loved Chacho are invited to attend with anecdotes and meaningful memories to share.

In loving memory of Chacho, please consider a contribution toward the research being conducted by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, or the Parkinson’s Foundation.