If my childhood (life) were put into song...

.

.....this would probably be it.

My Aunt Susan Wilson sang Land of My Father at the fun-er-al. I have always loved and dreaded this song. Even as a kid it would choke me up because as Domi said when he requested an MP3, "Way too relevant; it's almost like she's singing about our childhood."

I will apologize for the quality, I was at a funeral so discreet was the watch word of the day. All things considered its not so bad.

So,  for all the Californians, especially those near Monterrey or in the Central Valley, here's Land of My Father. (It's not really a video, just audio).

One Killer Obit

It was a group effort;  a comportment of aunts, uncles, cousins and my parents; the result, a grand slam of an obituary.  Now, if I can not screw up the format...

OBITUARY FOR “SWEET POTATO JOE”

JOE F. ALVERNAZ

With a strong peace of mind and joy in his heart, knowing that he would be joining his beloved Florence again, Joe slipped away quietly at Grace Nursing Home, at the age of 93, following a visit with family members.

Known as “Sweet Potato Joe” far and wide, he filled his life with love of family, had the greatest sense of community service and unselfishly helped anyone in need.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Joe felt a desire to serve his country and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.  His nickname of “Sweet Potato Joe” was given to him by his fellow Marine, close friend, and actor Brian Keith.  Joe was the first farmer Brian ever met and Brian was the first actor Joe ever knew.  While in boot camp, he married the former Florence Cardoza of Merced in 1942.

After the war, and during his life as a sweet potato farmer, he served as President of the California Sweet Potato Council, and US Sweet Potato Council, where he was a Director for over twenty years.  He was the first California farmer to attend the National Sweet Potato Convention, among other industry firsts.  Joe served as President of the Merced County Farm Bureau, and was on the Board of Directors of the Nisei Farmers League.  He formed the California Sweet Potato Growers Co-op in Livingston, along with several other local growers, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

His interests and community involvement were very diverse - from serving as a founding member of the Livingston Medical Group, to past-President of Livingston Rotary, to being known as the “Voice of Livingston.” From 1946 to 1996, he announced all the Livingston High School football games, lending his strong voice to the community by also announcing everything in Livingston from parades to radio programs. He served on the Livingston Elementary School Board and the Merced County Recreation Commission for many years. Joe’s acting skills even benefited the Livingston Little Theater Group, where he starred in several productions, most notably as Elwood P. Dowd in “Harvey”.

His love of baseball began at an early age and became a life-long interest that manifested itself into a devotion to the sport for over eighty years.  He organized the first kid’s hardball team in Merced County in the early 50’s.  He was particularly fond of American Legion Baseball, serving as a coach, sponsor, announcer and booster for over fifty years. This led to his being appointed the third Area Commissioner of Baseball.  All of these years of being involved in baseball in Livingston culminated in the community baseball field being renamed the “Joe F. Alvernaz Baseball Field,” something he was so proud of.

Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joe and Mabel Alvernaz, brothers, Arthur and John Alvernaz, and sister, Mary Geyer.  He was also predeceased by his oldest son, Joey Alvernaz, in 1980 and by his wife of 64 years, Florence, in 2007.

He is survived by five children, Judy Blevins, James (Colette) Alvernaz, and Benjamin (Debbie) Alvernaz of Livingston; Cecelia (James) Simon of San Diego, and Susan (Randall) Wilson of Mariposa, a sister, Cecelia Luker of Atwater, 17 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

His light on earth has dimmed, but heaven is brighter as he has joined Florence, the true love of his life.

So long to our Dad, coach, neighbor and everyone’s friend.  He will be deeply and painfully missed, yet celebrated, honored and never forgotten.

Visitation will be at Wilson Funeral Home in Atwater, California on Sunday, November 10 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Services are scheduled for Monday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Atwater with internment following at Winton District Cemetery. A reception will be held afterward at St. Jude Thaddeus Church Hall in Livingston.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to Grace Nursing Home in Livingston or to the Joe F. Alvernaz Memorial Fund to benefit youth baseball in Livingston.