Frances W. Alvarez was born April 17, 1921 and entered into rest
May 9, 2004 at the age of 83.
Frances W. Alvarez was born April 17, 1921 and entered into rest May 9, 2004 at the age of 83. She is survived, and will be deeply missed, by her loving husband of 45 years, Victor Alvarez (former teacher at Hollister High School), her daughters Quina and Victoria Alvarez, her son-in-law Rick Reynolds, and her grandchildren Leyna and Jared Reynolds. She is also survived by her cousins James and Gerald Wilder and Jane Sly.
Frances was born in San Francisco to John and Edna Willever. Later, her family moved to Salinas. Frances graduated from Salinas High School in 1939 and then attended Hartnell Junior College. She graduated from San Jose State University in the early 1940s and began her teaching career.
Frances began teaching in Salinas then taught in San Juan Bautista. She later served her country teaching on a military base in Japan following World War II. Upon her return from overseas, Frances resumed her teaching career in Salinas with the Alisal School District where she served as the District’s California Teachers Union Chapter President. Frances also spent time in Hawaii, involved in teaching-related activities. Frances enjoyed dancing, skiing and being with friends and family.
In 1959, Frances married Victor Alvarez and moved to Hollister, where they started their family. She taught elementary school and tutored privately in Hollister for many years before retiring from teaching in 1975. Frances was admired professionally and personally by her family, students, colleagues and many friends. She was an accomplished seamstress and loved sewing, needlework, crafts, playing the piano, traveling and cooking. Frances was an active member of Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in Hollister. She and Victor moved to Sacramento in the summer of 2003 to be near their daughters and grandchildren.
A memorial service celebrating Frances’ life will be held Sunday May 23, 2004 at 1 p.m. at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church located at 720 Monterey St. in Hollister. A reception will follow the service. The family is requesting donations to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (P.O. Box 515, Northhampton, MA 01061-0515). Saint Luke’s Church is located on the corner of Monterey and Seventh Street in Hollister, 637-7570.
