Final Salute

Alonzo Joseph Fernandez, of Hinckley, Minnesota, passed away on November 1, 2024, at his home.

Alonzo was born on July 23, 1947, in La Jara, Colorado to Joseph and Lourdes (Gallegos) Fernandez.

In the summer of 1968, he went to Point Mugu for basic training for the US Navy Seabees in Ventura, California.  That is where he met Laura Reilly, they married before he left for active service.  During his time with the Navy his daughter Corina was born.  They eventually divorced.

Alonzo did two, ten month, tours in Vietnam from 1968-1970.  He returned to California and enrolled at Chabot UC Hayward and eventually went to Pepperdine University where he studied Business Law.  He went to work for Northrop-Grumman/Lockheed-Martin Aerospace working on the B2 Bomber government contracts.  He was very proud of his extremely high security clearance.

He met and married his second wife, Karen, adopting her daughter, Jennifer and eventually adopting a son, Anthony.  Unfortunately, the marriage did not last.

Alonzo then moved to Minnesota at the urging of his brother Bill.  He met Tara through Bill and his wife Lisa, who had known Tara from High School.  They dated for eight years until Tara proposed.  They were married on August 26, 2000, in Tara’s brother’s front yard.  He worked a few jobs during this time before working at Anoka County at the County Attorney’s office, as a contracts administrator for the Highway Department.  He worked there until he retired due to a disability from Vietnam.

Alonzo always called himself a pocket scholar, always learning and doing major studies on the bible.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father Joseph Fernandez and Lourdes Fernandez Germaine and his brother Bill.

He is survived by his wife Tara, children; Corina (Robert), Jennifer and Anthony, grandchildren; Corey and Sierra, siblings; Joe “Punky”, Patty, Linda, Becky, many nieces and nephews and extensive other family members.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 12:00PM at the Hinckley Evangelical Free Church in Hinckley, Minnesota, there will be a visitation one hour prior to the service.  The burial will take place at Clover Cemetery, following the service.  Military Honors will be provided by the Hinckley American Legion Honor Guard.