Colonel Jose Manuel Alvarez Jr 70, died on March 12th, 2019 at his home in Mars Hill, North Carolina surrounded by his daughters and his love of the last 24 years Mary Baclich. Jose was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on August 8, 1948 to the late Major (R) Jose Manuel and Elena Luisa Alvarez Sr. His early childhood was spent first in Puerto Rico, then Germany and onto his adopted home state of New Jersey where he graduated from Hamilton High School West in Trenton. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant from Pennsylvania Military College in 1970, when he was finally able to fulfill his dream of becoming a United States Army Soldier.
During his 25 year career in the Army, some of his most notable assignments included Assistant Professor of Military Science at North Georgia College, Assistant Inspector General US Army Training Center, REFORGER Plans Officer, and Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion 38th Infantry. His final military assignment was as the Commandant of the School of the Americas at Fort Benning Georgia. Jose continued to serve his country as a consultant and analyst regarding military issues for the next 18 years in the Washington D.C. area.
He eventually retired to Mars Hill to enjoy the fresh air and tranquility of the North Carolina Mountains. He filled a room with his booming voice, myriad of stories and generous spirit. He loved Shakespeare, beer, poetry, rare steak, Scotch and Soda, baseball, crime shows, cooking and a great Fedora.
He had read every book ever written, knew every author every published, and could more than hold his own in any conversation about politics, religions, history and your local real estate. Above all, this soldier’s soldier loved, and was no match, for his three daughters. If you were ever going to share a Heineken or a Johnny Walker with Jose, then you were in for more than a quick update on his daughters and their families.
Including his long-time partner, Mary and his daughters Amy, Lisa, and Carrie, Jose is survived by three sons who he refused to recognize the “in-law” part, Daniel Armstrong, Wright Brooks and Bryan Briscoe; four grandsons, Connor and Blake Armstrong, Jackson and Henry Briscoe and one granddaughter Elena Louise Brooks. Family and friends will gather at Blue Ridge Funeral Service at 7626 North Carolina Highway 213 Mars Hill, North Carolina 28754 on the 15th of March 2019 at 1:00pm, with a memorial service following at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the hospital that saved Jose’s daughter’s life 38 years ago, Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey, www.
deborahfoundation.org/pages/grow-pages/ways-to-give Online condolences may be sent to the family at www. blueridgefuneralservice.org. Read Less To send flowers in memory of Colonel Jose Manuel Alvarez, Jr., please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
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