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Rotan Yellowhammers Rotan, Texas Coach Eric Alvarez of Rotan, Texas was killed tragically in a car accident November 6, 2005 near Ballinger, Texas. He is survived by his wife Crystal and his daughter Reagan, and the Alvarez and Young families. Jenna Young, sister to Crystal, was also killed in the accident. Coach Eric was the kind of person who truly loved his kids that he coached, and loved the field of athletics. Rotan was his first coaching job and he was very happy to be there. He was looking forward to baseball season, and to the next school year when he would be teaching History in High School. He told us many times that he was "living his dream." He was an incredible inspiration for the kids he coached, always someone who encouraged those around him. He loved his wife and his daughter very much, loved his family, especially his Mom - sometimes calling her up to three times in one day just to tell her "I love you, Mom". He made everyone of us feel like we were his very best friend. We are all made better people because we were priveledged to know him.
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Eric is Awarded His Degree from HSU
[excerpted from the Abilene Reporter-News by permission of Editor Terri Burke]
by Brian Bethel for Abilene Reporter-News Three degrees will be given posthumously today during a special ceremony at Hardin-Simmons University, with family members of each of the honorees accepting the diplomas in their stead. Honorees are Eric Alvarez, Trilena J. Dortch, and Shaelly Beth Rausch. The posthumouos degrees will be awarded during a 2 p.m. ceremony. Alvarez, 25, of Rotan, formerly of Stamford, died Nov. 6, 2005, in a rollover accident. He will be posthumously awarded the bachelor of behavoiral science (sports fitness and leisure studies major and computer science minor) degree. Alvarez was a coach in the Rotan Independent School District. HSU spokesperson David Coffield said Alvarez stared his coaching career just a few credits shy of a degree at HSU. "He took some courses at another school, transferred them to HSU, and finished up what he started here in 1998", Coffield said. Alvarez was assistant high school football coach, the head baseball coach, the head junior high football coach, and the junior high girl's basketball coach in Rotan. His mother, Frances Alvarez of Stamford, said the school was bestowing a great honor on her son. "He never took the time to go sign his card to receive his diploma," she said. "... This is something we'll show his daughter." His brother, Rey Alvarez Jr., a coach at Wylie, will accept the degree on his behalf, she said. [...] The three posthumous degrees will be conferred after the general conferral and before graduation awards in a special part of the program, Coffield said. |
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A special "Thank You" to Martha Cox for providing these photos. - Joel |
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Some images from the Candlelight Ceremony at the Baseball Field November 7, 2005
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I Can Only Imagine
I can only imagine what it will be like,
Refrain
Refrain
I can only imagine!
I can only imagine, |
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Some notes from visitors to this page... Wed, 12 Jul 2006 We really appreciate your time, effort, and personal touch to this story. It took us until now to be able to visit this site. We always knew it was there but just could not look at the memories just yet. It is beautiful. Thank you for your work and sense of caring and dedication that you expressed for Eric and our family. Eric truly is a beautiful person that cared for people and would give the shirt off of his own back to help someone else. We enjoyed getting to know you and Teresa as well.
God Bless You Both, Mon, 6 Nov 2006 I was a former teammate of Eric at HSU and was also in many classes with him as we shared the same degree plan. It is hard to believe that it was one year ago today that his life was tragically taken away from us. I had the opportunity to share in many good times with Eric and wanted to thank you for the website. Ryan Devere Fri, 17 Nov 2006 I loved Coach Alvarez and he is dearly missed! We will always love him for everything he as ever done to help us, in what ever it may be!! Janis Robinson Tue, 26 Dec 2006 We love you! Alicia Almanza Mon, 1 Jan 2007
I loved Coach (Alvarez) I miss him sitting in our class. Danny Mon, 8 Jan 2007 Happy B-Day We miss u Alicia Almanza Fri, 19 Jan 2007
I stumbled across this website tonite. My heart was heavy
from missing Eric.
Thanks, Sun, 21 Jan 2007
Thank you so much for taking the time to remember my little brother and share his story with anyone that might find this site.
Thank you, Tue, 30 Jan 2007
Hi. I am Eric's sister.
Thanks again, Thursday, November 15, 2007
This is such an "AWESOME" Memorial! I miss Eric, my little Bro. soooo much.
On November 6, 2007 Mom, Dad, Great Grandma, Aunt Janie, my son Adam, Rey Jr., Aunt Shanna, Ashleigh and Brittany gathered at his gravesite and cried and prayed together.
Thanks Eric for being such a blessing in our lives!!
Love, your big sis, Tuesday, January 15, 2008
As I sit in my son and daughter-in-law's den with the baby monitor by my side, I am reminded of the sadness the Alvarez family certainly feels every minute of every day.
He and my son were suitemates and then roommates at HSU where they both played baseball.
I believe that on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 1:47 p.m., sweet Eric...beloved son, husband, brother, and proud father of Reagan... was watching from heaven as Jeremy witnessed the birth of his first child, a son. Jo Lynn Landrum Monday, February 25, 2008
To Joel & Teresa Owens, I am speechless!
All of my children are so special, each in his or her own way.
To Eric's friends: We love and thank you for sharing your memories of Eric with us.
Eric Dane and Aden Glen Smith born two days after Eric's Birthday. Jo Lynn Landrum, Thank you for sharing this with us all. Coach and Mrs. Lucas, Joel and Teresa, thank ya'll.
We Love ya'll, Monday, February 25, 2008
I didn't really know Coach (Alvarez) that well.. But I loved him alot.. See you someday, Monday, May 12, 2008 You are truly missed Coach! You were an inspiration to all! Latisha Marie Jones July 11, 2008
Coach (Alvarez) was the best coach i have ever had. I love and miss you coach!! You will forever be in our hearts!!!!!! Brittany Angelica July 13, 2008 I miss you a lot, Coach.
He was my Coach during my Junior and Senior year while I was in high school and I remmber hearing the news about his death. I have dedicated a Myspace profile for him you can go to this website myspace.com/ea0629. Love you, Coach and I will be coaching with you one day. Chris Gonzales Editor's Note: Chris has put together a nice tribute to Eric, a number of his former students are on his Friends List there. Please let us know you visited here!
Last update to this page: July 16, 2008
Click HERE to return to the Main Page.
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To you who are visiting today, Thank You for your kind notes and thoughts. We've received a lot of heart-felt thanks from people who knew and loved Eric, and continue to receive email from visitors to this site from time to time. This web page is only a humble offering we have for a man who was a well-spring of life and happiness. Most often I hear the comment, "He made me feel like I was his best friend." What a great tribute to the life and faith of this young man who was taken much too soon. God bless you all and thank you for your continued support and encouraging comments. If Eric had one quality that stood out among the others, it would have to be his faith in God and in God's Word. His life was lived as an example to everyone he was around. I have to believe in my heart that Eric would want you to experience the same blessings that he had in his life. Those are the blessings that can be found by being obedient to Christ Jesus by repenting of your old life of wrong and separation from God, finding the remission of sins in the grave of water immersion, and to be resurrected into a new and eternal life with God. Romans 6, I Corinthians 15, Acts 2, I Peter 3 It is my hope that you will consider this as you remember what the values of Eric's life were.
Sincerely yours, |