Alex Silva

When you try to define the sort of person Alex Silva was to his family and friends, you imagine someone who is an all around good person, who loves his family unconditionally and faithfully provides for them, who has a deep faith in God. This is how Alex will be remembered, as a man whose heart was certainly his strongest muscle.

The 1960s were a period of great change in our nation’s history. With much social unrest, protest movements were at the forefront of discussion as more and more U.S. troops headed to war in Vietnam. Yet, despite the looming problems within American society, people still needed to have fun. It was the golden age of drive-in theaters and the Beatles owned the top of the pop charts. Along the Rio Grande Valley in the town of Edinburg, Texas, Guadalupe and Isabel (Guerrero) Silva were not focusing on gloomy world events, but rather on an early Christmas present. On December 24, 1960, the couple delighted in welcoming the birth of their son, Eliazar Alex Silva. He was one of six Silva children.

Alex, as he was called, spent his growing up years in Edinburg, where he attended the area schools and graduated from high school in 1978. A year later, Alex married the love of his life, Lupita Gonzales, on February 3, 1979, and they had 3 wonderful children together: Alex Jr., Valerie and Amy. Alex worked hard to support his family as an independent builder. The family moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan in the early 1980s, where he focused most of his work on remodeling jobs.

Having a strong family was always important to Alex. He spent his life balancing the hard work of a self-employed builder with being a loving, devoted husband, father and grandfather. There wasn’t anything that Alex wouldn’t do for his beloved wife Lupita, and his children. Later, when his grandchildren arrived, their births added even more incredible blessings to his life. Alex was the doting grandfather of 10 grandchildren, all of whom he adored. He loved to interact with them, playing football in the backyard. It was said though that his grandson, Chino, was pretty much Alex’s “right hand man.” When he wasn’t spending time with his family, Alex enjoyed working in his vegetable garden or taking leisure walks on the shores of Lake Michigan.

Alex was simply a wonderful man, a man of character, of love and of faith. Raised in the Catholic faith, he was a previous member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Although Alex will be deeply missed, his legacy of love and dedication leaves his loved ones with wonderful memories and a strong foundation to look to for comfort.

Eliazar “Alex” Silva, age 48 of Kalamazoo, MI died on Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at Bronson Methodist Hospital. Visit with his family and friends will be on Monday, October 26, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Life Story Funeral Homes; Portage, 5975 Lovers Lane, where a funeral will be held on Monday at 11:00 a.m.

Alex was preceded in death by his father, Lupe, and his brother, David, both in 2007. Members of his family include his wife, Lupita; his children: Alex Jr. (Emelia) Silva, Valerie Silva, Amy Silva; his mother, Isabel Silva; his siblings: Maria (David) Diaz, Janie (George) Garcia, Leticia Silva, Nancy (Gilbert) Ortiz; his 10 grandchildren: Alex III, Michael, Tommy, Angelo, Mark, Penelope, Angelina, Alessandra, Chino and Brandon; his nieces and nephews Anthony (Wendy) Garcia and htier daughter Yoseline, Elias Garcia, Ricky Villapando, Dusty Villapando, Laurie Villapando and her children Nicole & Gabriel, Mindy Villapando and her son David, Mylowe (Gina) Silva and their son Jaden, Jenny Silva, Chelsea Silva, Monica Ortiz, Keanu Ortiz, Dylan Ortiz and other relatives. Please visit Alex’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with his family or sign his online guest book. Memorial contributions may be made to his family. Arrangements by Life Story Funeral Home, 5975 Lovers Lane, Portage, MI (344-5600).