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Alfred Chapa Mandel, age 91, passed away on Saturday, June 19, 2021. He was the youngest born to William Otto and Margarita Mandel. He was a star athlete in football, basketball, and track for Alice High School. On August 12, 1951, he married his wife of 69 years, Consuelo (Connie) Martinez from Alice, Texas and they enjoyed a wonderful and loving marriage and family.
After a short time in Corpus Christi, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and they moved to New Orleans.
He was in the Military Police for two years and then entered the U.S. Army Reserves for an additional 4 years. Upon receiving an Honorable Discharge, they moved back to Corpus Christi and purchased their first home where they raised their six boys. Alfred worked in the finance business with American Finance where he quickly advanced to Regional Manager over three southern states. He also continued to farm and ranch in Alice with his family. At age forty-eight, after American Finance was acquired by Bank of America, he elected to take early retirement, and he and Connie happily moved back to the family farm in Alice where he continued to farm and ranch. He and Connie invested in and were an owner/operator team managing numerous rental properties in Alice. Farming and ranching were his heritage that he loved, but his passion had always been hunting and fishing. He shared his love for the outdoors with his six boys and twelve grandchildren, and they in turn have passed on his love and respect for the outdoors to their children. His knowledge and passion for hunting and fishing will always have a special place in the hearts of all his family members, and those memories will last forever. Alfred lived a wonderfully fulfilling life. His zeal for life and his undeterred perseverance allowed him to overcome and survive several traumatic health challenges over the last 40 years. He fought and overcame quadruple bypass heart surgery, gall bladder surgery, heart valve replacement surgery, numerous coronary stints, colon surgery, colon cancer chemo therapy, and a massive heart attack 8 weeks ago. We often fondly referred to him as our bionic man. He passed in his sleep due to a weak heart and complications from the heart attack.
Alfred is preceded in death by his sisters Lily (Ricardo) Mandel Cantu and Ella Mandel Martinez, and his brothers Charles (Alice) Mandel and Albert (Eva) Mandel. His only living brother is William Jr. (Eva) Mandel. Alfred was also preceded in death by his sons James and Alfred Jr. and grandson Sergio Rodriguez.
He leaves behind to cherish his memory, kindness and generosity, the love of his life, his dear wife Connie, his sons Bobby (Cris), Rick (Carol), Gary (Dolly), and Mark. His adopted daughter Jennifer Mandel Hughes and her children, Gianna Bella and Thaddeus Jude Cisneros and Mark Ivan Hughes, and all his other grandchildren – James C. Mandel Jr. (Whitney) and their son James C. Mandel III, Austin Mandel, Louie Mandel (Tori) and their son Sebastian, Ruben Mandel, Alana Mandel, Joseph Mandel and his children Joseph Daunte and Ariel, Marisa Mandel Maldonado (Manny) and their children Giancarlo, Giuliana, Gabriella and Gianluke, Marlene Mandel, Mariah Mandel, Markie Mandel (Jose) and their son Josiah, Angelina Mandel, and his many nieces, nephews and friends.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Thursday, June 24, 2021 with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 7:00 PM at Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 E. Main St. Alice, TX. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 25, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Christian Burial with Military Honors will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
A special thanks to all the caregivers and medical staff who made Alfred comfortable in his last weeks.
Arrangements are entrusted to Holmgreen Mortuary, 2061 East Main Street, Alice, Texas.
Condolences for the family may be offered at www.holmgreenmortuaryinc.com and shared via Holmgreen Mortuary Facebook.holmgreenmortuary.com
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