Alfonzo Valls

After a long, happy and courageous life, Alfonzo Valls passed away on October 05, 2012. He was 89 years old.

Alfonzo was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, the eighth of ten children born to Antonio and Rafaela Mendiola Valls.

He was a student and athlete at Martin High School, where he would later serve as teacher and coach, eventually becoming a Tiger Legend in 2007. While in high school he lettered in basketball, track and football and in his junior year helped his basketball and track teams win district. That same year, he placed first in the high hurdles in five major track meets including district and regional meets, The Border Olympics, and meets in San Antonio and The Fort Worth Stock Show Track Meet. In four of those meets, he broke the existing records.

His favorite sport, as a youth, was baseball. Because at the time, Martin High School did not field a baseball team, all of his baseball playing was done on neighborhood teams and in local leagues. He was a left-handed pitcher earning himself the lifelong nickname, "Lefty." After graduating from college he did a brief stint in a professional minor league team in Louisiana, playing first base. He also pitched for the San Antonio Missions.

While in high school, he caught the attention of talent scouts from East Texas State University (now a part of Texas A & M University). In 1942, he was offered a full athletic scholarship and enrolled at East Texas State where, in his first year he helped the track team win the freshman division of The Border Olympics, along with two other conference meets. In his second year of college, he made the varsity basketball team but did not finish the season because in December of 1942 he volunteered and began his service with the Army Air Force for Aviation Cadet Training.

Following in his older brother Louis' footsteps, he became a bomber pilot, eventually piloting a B-29 in the Pacific Theater of World War II. He served in the 43rd squadron of the 314th Bomber Wing.-Based in Guam, he began flying bombing missions in March 1945. He flew 34 combat missions. His last mission was on September 02, 1945,when he and a fleet of B-29's, in a show of force, flew low enough over the USS Missouri to see the dignitaries signing the peace treaty ending WWII. His service to his country earned him The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, The American Theater Campaign Medal and The WWII Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged from the regular Air Force in 1946, but continued flying for many years as a member of the Air Force Reserve, retiring with the rank of Major after 22 years of service.

After the war, he returned to East Texas State earning a degree in physical education in 1947. In his years on the track team after the war, his relay team won first place at their conference meet, The Border Olympics, The Texas Relays, Kansas Relays and Drake Relays .-

He returned to Laredo, after graduation, where he coached track at his alma mater, taught ROTC, driver's education and business math. He retired from the Laredo Independent School District after many years, having touched the lives of hundreds of students and athletes.

While teaching at Martin High, Lefty met his future wife, Doris Duke. They were married in June of 1955 and raised four children in a home that he designed and built.-He owned and operated several businesses over the years, among them Valls Insurance Agency, which eventually became a part of Insurance Associates and Inscorp. He also developed real estate.

In his personal life, he truly valued time with his family, coaching little league and frequently taking the family on trips, many to visit his siblings, nieces and nephews. He also enjoyed playing golf with his friends. However, his greatest passion in life was his love for his wife of 57 years, Doris, who survives him.

He is also survived by his four children: Cynthia Ann Valls (Kyle Hunter), Dr. Patrick Louis Valls (Jodie), Kenneth Alfonzo Valls and Mark Duke Valls (Amy); and his five grandchildren: Kyle Nelson and William London Hunter-Valls, Lauren Elise and Nathan Patrick Valls, and Evan Alfonzo Valls. He is also survived by two brothers John Valls (Gladys) and William Valls (Minerva), and many nieces, nephews, and cousins, as well as his devoted caregivers, Rosy, Orfalinda, Juany, Chelo and Pepe.

He was preceded, in death by his parents Antonio and Rafaela Valls, and by his brothers and sisters: Antonia Valls, Rafael Valls, Josefina Valls Guerra, Dr. Miguel Valls, Louis Valls, Carmen Valls Nelson, and Connie Valls Hughes.

The family would like to thank his doctors:-Dr. Carlos Cigarroa, Dr. Joaquin Cigarroa, Dr. Benson Huang, Dr. Carlos N. Casas, Dr. Joseph Camero as well as all the nurses and staff in the ICU's at Laredo Medical Center and Laredo Specialty Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Bethany House of Laredo, 819 Hidalgo, Laredo, Texas 78040, in his honor.