Alfredo Alonso

Alfredo Alonso

March 6, 1926

March 11, 2016

Alfredo Alonso died on March 11, 2016, just five days after his 90th birthday. He passed peacefully at home with his three sons by his side. He was born on March 6, 1926, during a tumultuous time in Spain. Born the year that the second Spanish/Moroccan war ended and a mere eleven years before the start of the Spanish Civil war. Alfredo was born to Tomas Alonso and Florentina Mendez of Puebla de Trives, located in the northern Spanish province of Galicia. The people of this region are known as Gallego's - a culture and identity he was always very proud of. Surviving war torn Spain, he left for New York via Norfolk, Virginia in the late 1950's where he was reunited with his sister Carmen. He attended night school to learn English while he worked at Schrafft's Ice Cream in Brooklyn. He worked hard and soon saved enough to buy Charlie's, a butcher shop located in the Bronx that he later expanded to include a grocery store. Ever self-reliant, he taught himself to become a butcher and learned the business. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Maria. Alfredo sold Charlie's to his childhood friend and business partner Jose Machado and he and Maria moved to Reno, Nevada in 1963.

It was in Reno where they would truly live the American dream. Alfredo worked at Safeway's meat and deli department until he and Maria bought the El Dorado Motel in midtown and soon after started a family. For several years, Alfredo and Maria lived in a tiny apartment within the motel where they raised three boys and worked as manager, maintenance and housekeeping. Like his time in New York, Alfredo worked tirelessly and saved every penny he earned. He also acquired the Vacation Motor Lodge and he began buying and selling properties he would purchase at a bargain and quickly repair, rent or flip - just to do it all over again. He purchased and sold hundreds of properties during his lifetime. He bought working ranches in Fallon and Payette, Idaho where he was happiest with his family, working the land and taking care of his livestock. Alfredo was intelligent, driven and "street smart." While he did not have the opportunity for a formal education himself, he preached the virtues of an education to his children and anyone else who would listen. He was a self made man in every sense - creating a safe home and future for his family while demanding that his children be as driven and hardworking as he was.

Alfredo loved chocolate chip cookies, caring for his cows, sheep, and the occasional goat, watching his boys play sports, and taking George the pig, Fluffy the donkey and other animals to Hunter Lake Elementary School for his children's show and tell. He felt at peace walking the fields at his ranch, irrigating the alfalfa or hunting the Little Willow. He loved Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, westerns and Wapner. He spent long hours in his garden growing everything from fruit trees, to cabbage and corn. Still finding the time to watch the Cowboys play on Sunday or catching an NBA game. He will be remembered for his passion, drive, sense of humor, candor and fierce loyalty to his family.

Alfredo is preceded in death by his wife, Maria, his mother and father, his sister Carmen, brother Orentino, and several nieces and nephews. He is survived by his sister Rachel, his sons Alfredo and his wife Kim, Michael and his wife Staci, and Rick and his wife Carissa. Alfredo is also survived by his grandchildren, Alessandra, Olivia, Christian, Madeleine, Brennen, Noah, Anna, Tiera, Emilio, and Tatum. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including Carmen and Javier Arazosa of Reno and their family, and Carmen and Alberto Alonso of Spain.

Our family wishes to extend special thanks to Nancy, Loren, Mary Ann, Chaplain Kerry, and many others at Renown Hospice for taking such good care of him in his final weeks. The family also wishes to extend special thanks to his caregivers Pablo, Celina, and Edna for taking great care of Alfredo the last two years.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, March 17th at 3:00 pm at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 1138 Wright Street, Reno. Entombment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.