Jose Alvarez

Passed Away On: June 11, 2022

Jose Rosario Alvarez passed away at Mabie Convalescent Home in Hollister, California on June 11, 2022 at 86-years-old.

In addition to his parents Pablo and Juanita Alvarez, Jose is preceded by his son Leonard Alvarez (Lupe). He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Carolyn Alvarez, their children, Sharon Galaz (Leandro), Chris Alvarez (Shannon), and Lisa Alvarez-Bravo (Jeff), their nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and many other family members. Pablo and Juanita moved to what would become Jose’s lifelong home in the town of Hollister in 1926, where he was born on October 7, 1935.

When Jose was only 3 years old, his mother was widowed, leaving her with eight children. Her two eldest sons worked to support the family while also receiving aid from local support agencies. One of the agencies included Sacred Heart Catholic Church where Jose would later attend grades 1st through 8th at Sacred Heart Parish School, being able to skip kindergarten due to his high level of intelligence.

Jose worked part time at Mission Food Center while attending San Benito Joint Union High School where he graduated from in 1953. Following high school, he continued to work at Mission Food full time until he enlisted in the United States Air Force one year later. He became good friends with his fellow airmen, many of whom he kept in contact with throughout his life. After serving a four year term, he was honorably discharged from the Air Force in 1958.

He then made the decision to enroll in a trade program at Hartnell Community College in Salinas, California. After he completed his apprenticeship training in machine shop technology, Jose was then hired as a machinist at McCormick-Selph where he would work for the next 42 years. A few months later, he married Carrie, the love of his life, in 1961. Together they would go on to raise their family of four children. Once he became comfortable at his place of employment, Jose felt it was his “civic duty to help make Hollister a better place”. For the wellbeing of his family as well as his neighbors, he ventured out into the community and became an active member in numerous community organizations. Among the many community and civic groups, he served as a member most notably for the Hollister City Council and Planning Commission, Mexican American Committee on Education (MACE), and was President of the Community Services Development Corporation.

Having worked over four decades to provide for his family, Jose went into retirement in 2003. He continued to give his support to the local agencies and loved spending his new free time with his now adult children and their spouses, as well as the 9 beautiful grandchildren that would all soon be born. He traveled near and far to attend numerous sports games, dance performances and other activities in support of each and every one of them. Throughout his life, Jose made it his mission to work not only for himself, but for his family, friends and community.

He will live on in the life lessons and memories that will be passed down through the generations to come. A viewing of Jose Rosario Alvarez will be held at 9:30 a.m. at Black-Cooper-Sander Funeral Home on June 23, 2022 following a service at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Parish Church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery following the service.

Visitation:

Thursday, June 23, 2022, 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.