Forever in Our Collective Memory
Ernani Carlo Falcone
1928 ~ 2002
Ernani Carlo Falcone
A dedicated Democratic leader respected by the political elite and champion of the little guy. A revered member of the San Antonio community and activist who fought for local environmental preservation, he was colorful, charismatic, controversial, and always willing to stand up against special interests.
Born in Philadelphia in 1928, Nani attended Princeton University and served with the U.S. Army in Europe during the Korean War. He retired from the Army Reserve in 1982 with the rank of colonel. For more than 30 years, he taught high school social studies in Pennsylvania and played a vital role in the local Democratic Party.
After moving to his wife's home state of Texas in the late 1980s, he remained active in
community service and politics. A champion of grassroots efforts, he founded and chaired the
Northwest Neighborhood Alliance and served as president of the Braun Station West Community
Improvement Association.
He was a valued advisor to Mayor Ed Garza and lent his expertise to the Zoning Commission and a technical advisory committee that monitored revisions of the city's Unified Development Code. Nani also gave of his time to such notable organizations as Amnesty International and Habitat for Humanity.
Fluent in five languages and an active member of the Sons of Italy, 
this admirable gentleman
served as a recruiter for
his alma mater and helped more than 700 students gain acceptance to Princeton, including many
young Hispanics, whose educational opportunities he championed.
In addition, Nani was a tireless advocate for the preservation of greenbelts and historic trees and funding for city parks, and it is particularly fitting that a community park be named in his honor. He was a catalyst, from the beginnings of the Leon Creek Greenbelt Coalition, to nurturing the seed that was to become the San Antonio Linear Parks Project.
Ernani Falcone passed away on Monday, May 13, 2002, yet his strong, booming voice that always embraced the downtrodden and defended democratic ideals, will resonate with us forever.
Former San Antonio Mayor Ed Garza said of Nani who was a very close friend and advisor, "He often spoke in a loud roar, but he did so thinking with his big heart."
The Maury Maverick Branch Library in District 7 on Mystic Park has a public all-purpose room named "The Nani Falcone Community Meeting Room."
Donna's representational style, executed in brick, bronze, mosaic tile and metal, is widely lauded for its strength and depth of perception. She is a past recipient of The American School and University Portfolio's art/architecture award and has completed numerous public and private commissions throughout the country, including "Athletikos"© for the University of Connecticut, the "Cancer Survivors Plaza"© in Cleveland, Ohio, "terrigena sed infinitus"© for Florida's Okaloosa-Walton Community College and "Gorilla gorilla beringei"© for the Illinois Terminal in Champaign, Illinois.
An accredited provider of AIA continuing education credits and a certified member of the South Central Texas Regional Certification Agency, Donna's works have been featured on CBS's Sunday Morning, CNN, Fox News, The Discovery Channel and Texas Country Reporter. Besides the Nani Falcone memorial park project, Donna's current commissions include a municipal park for the City of North Richland Hills TX and a Texas Department of Transportation state highway beautification project in San Antonio.
Donna thoroughly enjoys working with the dictates of the site and client to find the best possible project answer for the specific context of the proposed site. Her goal is to listen closely to her client's vision and helping to successfully interpret that vision into a sculpture that continues to reflect and inspire her client's aspirations.
Donna believes the fine arts present a unique opportunity to create a special space -- a people oriented space that welcomes people, enables them to investigate and learn, enhancing their spirit of cooperation and support. The nature of our surroundings can indeed influence our attitude, temperament, and state of mind. The qualitative placement of the fine arts can work to recommend a public response of confidence.
Six stone benches carved with drawings of native trees along with descriptions reflect the dedication of Nani Falcone who was instrumental in conserving the natural habitat in this neighborhood and our community. Design Team: Laffoon Associates
Official ribbon cutting dedicating the Ernani Falcone Community Park
DISCLAIMER: The web master acknowledges harvesting information and images for this dedicatory page from across the internet. No intentional infringement of any trademarks or copyrights was intended.
Questions or comments?