Alfonso Dollente

Alfonso Dollente was born on July 10, 1949 in San Quintin – a municipality in the Philippine province of Pangasinan – and immigrated to the United States at the young age of seven. Living in San Francisco for his formative years, Alfonso graduated from Balboa High School and enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he had the fortune of being stationed at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. During his deployment, Alfonso met the love of his life, Erlinda Besitulo, with whom he shared 56 wonderful years of marriage. In 1973, Alfonso was transferred to San Antonio, Texas. Around that time, he bought his first car - a 1973 Chevrolet Nova. Many may not know that Alfonso was colorblind. For weeks, he proudly thought he had bought a bright red Nova, only to later discover that the vehicle was actually orange. After retiring from the Air Force in 1975, Alfonso returned to live with his parents – Pelagia and Nick – in their loving and humble home on Tingley Street in San Francisco. Those "Tingley days" are filled with Alfonso-centric memories - he loved teasing the kids, telling them he was going to McDonald's and pretending he wasn't coming back just to get a laugh. Moreover at Tingley, he enjoyed showing card tricks, playing board games, and always found ways to keep the kids entertained. Alfonso was a man of many talents, hobbies and interests that include: A deep love and appreciation for music. He could often be found dancing or playing his favorite songs on his reel-to-reel and 8-track player - classics from The Temptations, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, The Everly Brothers, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Earth, Wind & Fire, Air Supply, The Righteous Brothers, and many more. A true tinkerer and do-it-yourself (DIYer) handyman. Alfonso was always fixing, building, and finding ways to make things better around the house. He often worked alongside his older brother Rudy, who proudly took on the role of "foreman," and helped his other brother Leo on projects. Alfonso was the steady helper-always ready to lend his skills, his time, or simply his presence. Together, they turned simple projects into lasting memories. An enjoyment of sport, games and the outdoors with loved ones. He was an avid tennis player, often playing with his kids, nieces, and nephews. The funny part is that he would sometimes smoke while playing, and still beat everyone! Alfonso also enjoyed bowling with his brother Rudy, sister-in-law Jean, sister-in-law Ester and niece Alice. He loved sharing the experiences with family that included organizing camping trips to Lake Camanche, filling in to play softball in a San Francisco rec league, visiting the shooting range, and tinkering with remote-controlled cars and helicopters. As a loyal SF Giants and SF 49ers fan, he never missed a chance to cheer on his teams with loved ones. More than anything, Alfonso's enduring legacy is that he always found a way to bring family together because he cherished the time with those he loved. His kindness, humor, and joyful spirit was infectious and has positively impacted everyone who knew him. He will forever remain in our thoughts, our hearts, and our lives. On a final note, our family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for all the kind words, prayers, and support we have received during this difficult time. Alfonso is survived by his daughters: Jennifer Cabeza, Josie Ferreira (Bryan) and Janice Dollente; his son, Jeffrey Dollente (Lormie); his son-in-law, Bryan Ferreira; his sisters, Janet Dollente Gee (Jeffrey), and Emilda Dollente; and his brother, Leo Dollente (Carol). He is also survived by his nine grandchildren: Niko, Tristan, Lauren, Allyson, Samantha, Caitlyn, Paolo, Xavier, and Logan. Survived by 7 nieces and nephews, and 24 grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Jose Dollente; grandchildren, Brandon Cabeza and Angelo Dollente; son-in-law, Tony Cabeza; his parents, Nick and Pelagia; his sister, Rita Somera; his brother, Rudy Dollente; his niece, Alice Evangelista and nephew, Bobby Somera.