Korean War veteran and former BVA National Chaplain of 32 consecutive years (1979-2011), the Reverend Neftali Sanchez, passed away this past Wednesday from causes incident to age at his home in Grand Terrace, California. He was most recently a member of the Southern California Regional Group and, astonishingly, a BVA member for 68 years. Memorial and burial services are pending and will be shared later. 

Tali, as many knew him, attended 31 conventions as Chaplain, missing only one in 1997 (Reno) and delivering Father Carroll Memorial Luncheon addresses twice—in 1979 and again in 2001.

“It seems unthinkable to contemplate that I served as National Chaplain eight years longer than Father Carroll did,” he said during a telephone interview just prior to the BVA 66th National Convention in 2011 (Las Vegas). “It’s been a long run that I’ve loved, but it’s finally time to give the privilege to another worthy blinded veteran.”

Due to health concerns, Tali could attend only one more convention following his service as National Chaplain. In 2016, he traveled to Milwaukee for the 71st National Convention, where he also attended his very first convention back in 1956.

A 2002 national newspaper release introduced Tali’s story as follows:

“One blinded veteran has taught many Americans how possible it is to overcome great adversity if one does not abandon hope for a bright future and full life. A good example is Corporal Neftali Sanchez, whose life changed abruptly on July 11, 1953, in Korea when he was only 19 years old.”

The article recounted Tali’s wounding by an exploding grenade while he was on patrol, an event that caused the loss of both his eyes and both his arms below the elbows.

“Coping with so many obvious adversities, Tali was nevertheless relentless in the pursuit of his personal goals,” the feature added.

After completing blind rehabilitation at Hines in 1955, he graduated from Pepperdine University in 1959 and received a Master’s Degree two years later. He attended Bible College and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology in 1974.

Tali found out about BVA in 1955 and joined immediately. He served on the National Board of Directors from 1964-69 and was later elected National Chaplain in 1979. He told both the Board and the membership the following year that he would not run for Chaplain again and, because of the politics involved in elections and voting, he voiced his opinion that a National Chaplain should be appointed annually rather than elected. The Association’s leadership listened to him and agreed with his reasoning. The rest is history as he was reappointed 31 times!

Judging by his many years of involvement and service, of much greater importance for Tali than a position were opportunities for him to serve, particularly to render assistance and support to those who may be climbing the same mountain that he had already successfully climbed.

The explanation for Tali’s service may well be rooted in a November 13, 1953, news article in the El Paso Post reporting his injuries in Korea. The article quoted Tali’s mother, who had just visited him for the first time since his return to the states. The place of that meeting was a hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

“If Neftali was discouraged, he never showed it,” she said. “He seemed happy and full of plans for the future.”

The Tali Sanchez described by his mother in 1953 is the same remarkably courageous, positive-thinking BVA member and National Chaplain BVA knew and loved for all but ten years of its 78-year history.