Joseph
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Obituary for Joseph "Ping" Alvarez

Joseph "Ping"  Alvarez
Joseph Alvarez, more commonly known as “Ping”, age 93, of Donora, went to be with the Lord, on Thursday, June 2, 2016, in Mon Valley Hospital. He was born on May 5, 1923 in Forward Township, to the late Adolfo and Magdalena Fernandez Alvarez. He was inducted into the Army in January 1943 to the 349 Infantry Division in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theatre of WWII, where he was a M1 Rifle Sharp Shooter. He earned two Purple Hearts for wounds he received in action in Italy while going door to door looking for Germans. On one door to door search, in Italy, on October 19, 1944, he was wounded by machine gun fire from Germans who were occupying the house. While being transported back to Allied lines, he was taken over hills, but the Germans started to shell the area. The medics left him on the hill and returned three days later. Ping received the American Theatre Ribbon, two Purple Hearts, the Combat Infantry Badge, the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon with one bronze star, the Good Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Ribbon. Ping participated in the North Apennines Campaign, and was discharged on March 31, 1946 with the rank of Sgt. After being discharged, he spent better than two years on and off in various hospitals due to the wounds he received in combat. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife Irene Lusckay Alvarez in 1996, to whom he was married since December 26, 1948; two brothers, Fernando “Phoebe” Alvarez, and Frank Alvarez who died in infancy; a sister, Gloria Popp. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Jeffrey and Carin Alvarez of Donora, and Kevin and Barb Alvarez of Donora; 4 grandchildren, Jeffrey Alvarez Jr. and his wife Natalie, Lindsey and her husband Jeff Heidelbach, Caz Alvarez and his wife Stephanie, and Cara Alvarez; and 7 great grandchildren, Zachary, Samuel, Nathaniel, Lillian and Allison Alvarez, Cody and Kamryn Heidelbach; he is also survived by his “third son” Rick Rodriguez. Family and friends will be received on Sunday, June 5, 2016 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. in the Anthony L. Massafra Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Inc., 40 Second Street Extension, Donora, PA 15033 (724) 379-6900. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday 10 a.m. in Our Lady of the Valley Church., Rev. Fr. Pierre Falkenhan as celebrant. Graveside military honors will follow in Monongahela Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to the Donora American Legion.
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