Alfonso Jose Durazo

Longtime resident of Seiad Valley, Alfonso Jose Durazo left us on December 4, 2016 at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford. He was 73 years old. He was born in Cananea, Mexico on March 3, 1943. Alfonso is survived by his wife of 46 years, Pat Durazo; children Carmen French (Roger French), Maria Durazo (Vincent Veneris), and Joaquin Durazo (Jamie Durazo); and grandchildren Trevor French, Kadence French, Jarrett Durazo and Joel Alfonso Durazo. He is also survived by sisters Francis Gutierrez, Sally Santolaya and Carmen Ruiz, brother Arnold Durazo, and many nieces and nephews. Like so many Americans, Al immigrated as a young boy with his family to the United States in order to work in Southern California agriculture. Growing up in and around Pomona, he was able to see first-hand the changing climate for immigrants in the Golden State. He was able to participate in the movement for farmworker rights supported by Cesar Chavez and others. At the age of 19, Al began a tour in the armed forces, requiring him to leave Southern California. Al served in the United States Navy from 1963-1967. Soon after leaving the Navy, Al, along with a couple of close friends, bought a music shop in Hermosa Beach. As was customary in the pre-digital era of music, owning a record shop meant complimentary tickets to performances and many promotional perquisites. For this period, specifically 1969, Al was immersed in the California music scene. What he heard and saw stayed with him for the rest of his life and instilled in him a diverse appreciation of music. The stories Al was able to tell of the performances he saw of Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Rod Stewart, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and many other performers and bands at the peak of their early careers is the stuff that rock and roll legends are made of. In 1972 Al began to feel a pull towards a rural lifestyle. As a result, he and Pat began searching for a place they could make a home that would allow them to grow their own food and create the environment they wanted. They settled in Seiad Valley 43 years ago. It was here that Al started his career with the U.S. Forest Service. While employed with the Forest Service, Alfonso worked in timber sales, but he truly enjoyed his time fighting wildland forest fires. Al enjoyed a good career in the Forest Service, from which he retired in 1995. Alfonso and Pat started their life together traveling across the United States in their 1964 Volkswagon bus. His love for travel was transferred to his children by taking them camping every summer to various locations including the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Smith River State Park, and Lake Tahoe. You could always find Al working in his garden doing what he loved. Al was known by his friends and family as a selfless, hardworking, jokester. We will all miss his infectious smile, that special twinkle in his eyes, and the stories he told of a life well lived. A celebration of life will take place in the summer of 2017.

Alfonso Jose Durazo

March 3, 1943 - December 4, 2016