Charles Hey-Maestre ’77

Charlie died Feb. 6, 2017, after a bravely fought battle with cancer.

Charlie was born in the Bronx, N.Y., and grew up in Puerto Rico. He was class president when he graduated from Agustin Stahl High School in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, and his leadership only grew upon his arrival at Princeton. With other pioneering minds such as future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor ’76, Charlie established Acción Puertorriqueña y Amigos, a student group intended to foster community and increase Latino awareness and presence within the University. He devoted much of his time at Princeton to recruiting other Latino students, and he served as a resident adviser as an upperclassman.

Princeton was also an integral part of Charlie’s personal life. Here, he met his life partner, Linda Colón ’75. The two were married in 1977 at the Aquinas Institute, and their reception was held in the Third World Center. On their wedding anniversary in 2002, Charlie and Linda renewed their vows in the same place, in front of their three children and each of their mothers. They also celebrated Charlie’s 25th-reunion and the graduation of Ana Hey-Colón, their eldest daughter.

After Princeton Charlie was named a Root Tilden Scholar at New York University Law School. When he graduated in 1980 he was selected as a Reginald Heber Smith Community Law Fellow. That same year, Charlie and Linda headed to Puerto Rico, a place he had always been determined to return to. He tirelessly advocated for the rights of the island’s most vulnerable populations. Through his work with the Puerto Rican Institute for Civil Rights, his own private practice, as the executive director of legal services on the island, and ultimately by spearheading the establishment of IOLTA funds in Puerto Rico through the Foundation for Access to Justice in 2016, Charlie sought to provide justice and most importantly, access to justice, for all. There is no doubt that Charlie’s life embodied his belief of “if you want peace, fight for justice.”

On a national level, Charlie left his mark by becoming a board member of several organizations that supported just causes, such as the Caribbean Human Rights Network, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Funding Exchange, and the New World Foundation. There is no doubt that Charlie’s life embodied his belief of “if you want peace, fight for justice.”

Charlie is survived by his wife, Linda; his three children; his mother; his brother; and his three grandsons.

Charlie’s presence is dearly missed, but his humility and the spirit of collaboration that distinguished him throughout his life will continue to nurture those that carry on his legacy. He is a Tiger through and through, and his roar will never be silenced.