Reyes, a pioneer in Dalton's Latino community, recalled as 'always willing to lend a helping hand'

Oct. 27—Friends and family remembered Norberto Reyes for his many roles on Tuesday: a pioneer in Dalton's Latino community, a leader in its business and civic life, and a mentor to many entrepreneurs whose businesses have helped revitalize the city.

But Natacia Reyes remembered him for another role: father.

"We were all so proud of him," she recalled, "He grew up (in San Luis Potosi, Mexico) very poor. He had little education, fifth grade. He came to the United States at 17 and built a business and a family."

Norberto Reyes, the founder and long-time owner of the Los Reyes restaurants in Dalton and Ringgold, passed away Saturday, Oct. 16. He was 64.

Norberto Reyes came to Dalton from Marietta, where his family ran a Mexican restaurant, in 1981 to start Los Reyes a decade before the large influx of Latino migration to Dalton.

Mayor David Pennington recalled him as a pioneer who brought Mexican culture and cuisine to the city.

"I don't know if Los Reyes was the first Mexican restaurant in Dalton, but it was definitely the first destination restaurant," Pennington said. "I think there were some small Mexican restaurants before, in strip malls and places like that. But Los Reyes (on South Hamilton Street) was the first one that was fun to go to and you enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the food."

Part of the atmosphere was Reyes.

"He was very hands on," said Zab Mendez, a friend. "He was always there greeting people, going up to their tables and making sure everything was going OK, bringing their food to them. He worked really hard, and he had a very outgoing personality."

What brought Norberto Reyes to Dalton?

"I think he was looking for a challenge," said Natacia Reyes. "I think that he looked around up here and saw there was nothing like what he had in mind and thought it could be successful. I think that's what led him to expand to Ringgold later."

In 1980, the Census Bureau reported there were 526 Latino residents in Whitfield County, 237 in Dalton. By 1990, the census found there were 2,321 Latinos in Whitfield County, with 1,422 in Dalton. And by the 2000 census, the bureau reported 18,419 Latinos in Whitfield County, with 11,219 in Dalton.

As the city's Latino population soared, Reyes worked to help the newcomers assimilate and to build bridges between the native population and the incoming Latino population.

"I met Norberto back in the early 1990s, when I was just a teenager," said Mendez. "My dad is pastor Ernesto Mendez (of Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida in Dalton), and my dad and Norberto were on the leadership team for Centro Latino, which helped the migrant community coming into Whitfield County with translating employment applications, documents for immigration, things like that."

The families later became neighbors.

"He used to live right next door to us," Mendez said. "He was always a happy guy, always willing to lend a helping hand, never met a stranger, just a super, super guy."

Norberto Reyes was very involved in the community, active in or supporting groups such as the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the Creative Arts Guild, Dalton State College, the Northwest Georgia Family Crisis Center, the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Northwest Georgia.

At a Dalton City Council meeting in September, Pennington proclaimed Sept. 7 as Norberto Reyes Day "in honor of his incredible contributions to our city and his motto that 'Dalton is one community, not a divided community.'"

Natacia Reyes said her father was especially proud of all of the people who worked in his restaurants who went on to found their own restaurants or other businesses in Dalton.

The family will hold a visitation Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Ponders Funeral Home, 138 Melrose Drive in Dalton.