Alex Donez, 79

Alejandro "Alex" Donez, 79, of Thermal, Calif., died Jan. 19, 2003, at John F. Kennedy Hospital in Indio, Calif.

Vigil services were held at Fitzhenry in Coachella, Calif. Funeral mass on Jan. 22 was followed by burial in Fitzhenry View Cemetery in Coachella, Calif.

Alejandro was born April 23, 1924, in Harlingen, Texas, the son of the late Anselmo and Dionicia Donez. He met and married Maria Ramirez. They had five children.

Alejandro traveled to Walla Walla, Wash., to work and then to Mountain Home, Idaho, where he worked for 34 years in the harvest of potatoes and sugar beets. In 2000, he became ill and moved back to Thermal, Calif.

"Alejandro was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend," his family said. "He enjoyed spending time with his family and enjoyed playing bingo, playing his accordion, and loved going to church."

He is survived by: his wife, Maria Donez of Thermal, Calif.; a son, Julian Donez of Mountain Home; four daughters, Josie Garcia, also from Mountain Home, Esther Lopez, Boise, Viola Beltran, Coachella, Calif., and Rosa Beltran, Indio, Calif.; a brother, Nicolas Donez from Colorado Springs, Colo.; a sister, Juanita Garza from Lozano, Texas; 17 grandsons, 15 granddaughters, 14 great-grandsons and eight great-granddaughters.

Alejandro was preceded in death by his parents, Anselmo and Dionicia Donez; two brothers, Natividad Donez and Ignacio Donez; and two sisters, Manuela Hernandez and Stephanie Hernandez.