Alvin Benjamin Aleixo

1932 - 2019

ALEIXO, ALVIN BENJAMIN
February 10, 1932 to October 20, 2019
Aleixo, Al (Alvin B.), 87, departed on 10-20-19 surrounded by his loving family at their Edgewood home in Cranston, Rhode Island.
Born February 10, 1932 in Crockett, CA, the son of the late Antonio A. Aleixo, and Emma (Pontarolo, Aleixo) Hochwalt, and the stepson of the late Laurence L. Hochwalt.
He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, R. Marie (Camelio) Aleixo, who he thankfully met on June 23, 1951 at Cape May, N.J.; daughters Deborah Demty, her husband Paul and their three children, Matthew, Jessica and Nicholas of Narragansett; Pamela A. Lis, her former husband, Robin, and their four children Lydia and husband Jason and great-granddaughter Lucija Dollard of Providence, Spencer, his wife Gen and great-granddaughter Serena of Providence/San Francisco, Luke and Eli of Jamestown; sons Christopher, his wife Claudia and their two daughters Laura and Julia of Smithfield; and Michael, his wife Monica and their children Peyton and Benjamin of Narragansett; and a step-sister, Mary Ann Lyons and her husband Jack in Texas.
Al had an unusual education, attending eight public schools in four different states before graduating in San Francisco. He served three years in the Coast Guard before completing a six-year printers' apprenticeship with the San Francisco News, while starting his family in California before moving east.
After short employments with the Boston Record-American, Boston Globe and Boston Herald, he eventually gained employment with the Providence Journal-Bulletin Co. as a linotype operator printer, remaining there for 35 years and retiring as a sports writer/photographer in 1998.
During that span, Al was elected president for 13 years to the state's oldest labor union, the Providence International Typographical Union No. 33. With new technology changing the newspaper industry, he negotiated several contracts with the company which would reduce the number of employees in that sector with benefits unheard of in the industry at that time.
After that, Al later accepted a change in careers in 1984 and became a reporter, later serving the Providence Newspaper Guild as president, and the R.I. AFL-CIO Executive Committee. He also served as chairman of the Providence Journal Employees' Credit Union Supervisory Committee for 29 years.
An avid skier and former ski writer, Al was one of 20 writers from around the world invited by the Swiss Government to celebrate Switzerland's 100th year of winter sports by climbing and skiing across the Swiss Alps' Haute Route for seven days in 1985.
He was also the invited guest of Italian, French, Canadian and German ski areas before retirement, and was an honorary member and annual racing competitor of the Rhode Island Ski Club; the Waterville Valley, N.H. Silver Streaks racing team, and the Wachusett Mt. (Mass) Over-The-Hill-Gang.
Al and Marie enjoyed vacationing in Europe, the Dominican Republic, Florida and California where they lived the first five years of marriage before returning to the east coast in 1959.
As passionate as he was about skiing, Al also enjoyed reading and loved playing golf with special friends. Upon retiring, he was an assistant to the golf professionals at Louisquisset Golf Course in North Providence until his passing.
In 2016, Al was inducted into the Johnston High School's Athletic Hall of Fame in appreciation of his coverage of their athletic programs. He also cherished recognition from CCRI, the City of North Providence, R.I. Press Association and others.
As a member of the U.S. Coast Guard during the Korean Conflict, he will be buried at the Rhode Island Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI. Funeral services will be held at (to be named) from the Nardolillo Funeral Home in Cranston.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Home Service on Friday, October 25th, at 11:00 a.m. in the NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Avenue, Cranston. Inurnment will take place in RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter. VISITING HOURS: Thursday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Visit NardolilloFH.com for online condolences.