Joseph I. Alvarado

Joseph I. Alvarado, 88, of Van Wert, died at 6:55 a.m. Tuesday, February 25, 2014, at the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

He was born April 20, 1925, in Taylor, Texas, the son of the late Alberto and Sofia (Sanchez-Martinez) Alvarado. He married Clare (Hemker) Alvarado, who survives in Van Wert.

Other survivors include a son, Joseph G. (Beatriz) Alvarado of Van Wert; three brothers, Paul Alvarado of Birmingham, Ala., John (Carol) Alvarado of Northbrook, Ill., and Raymond (Mary Beth) Alvarado of Indianapolis, Ind.; four sisters, Carmen Jacobs of Van Wert, Mary Hernandez of Fort Wayne, Ind., Dorothy Cuellar of Ossian, Ind., and Patsy (Charles) Mock of Bluffton, Ind.; and three grandchildren.

A grandchild, Angel Alvarado; one brother, Pete Alvarado; a sister, Lupe Alvarado, and four other siblings who died in infancy, also preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday, February 28, at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Van Wert, with Father Charles Obinwa officiating. Burial will be in Woodland Cemetery in Van Wert.

Calling hours are from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, February 27, at Alspach-Gearhart Funeral Home & Crematory in Van Wert, where a Rosary service will be held at 7:30 that evening.

Preferred memorials: St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, St. Mary’s School or the Van Wert Area Inpatient Hospice Center.

Online condolences may be left at www.alspachgearhart.com.