Ricardo R. Alvarado – Colonel, United States Air Force

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From a contemporary press report:

Ricardo R. Alvarado, 75, a retired Air Force Colonel who became a government affairs executive for large defense contractors, died of cancer April 25, 2002, at a hospital in Boca Raton, Florida. The former Alexandria resident had lived in Boca Raton since he left the Washington area in 1990.

A native Washingtonian, Colonel Alvarado was senior class president and valedictorian at St. John’s College High School in 1941. He graduated with a degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1948. Three years later, he entered the Air Force.

While he trained as a fighter pilot — completing jet interceptor pilot training, All Weather School and Ground Control Interceptor School — he turned to a legal career within the Air Force. He received a law degree from American University in 1953 and an advanced law degree from Georgetown University in 1963.

Most of his early legal assignments centered on government procurement law as a practitioner and instructor. He later served as chief of the office of legislative liaison in the office of the secretary of the Air Force and legislative liaison officer in the office of the secretary of defense before retiring from active military duty in 1972.

His military decorations included two Legions of Merit.

Colonel Alvarado then worked the next 10 years for Lockheed Corporation Inc. as its corporate director of government affairs and received a master’s degree in legislative affairs from George Washington University in 1976.

He was corporate vice president of government affairs for Signal Companies Inc. from 1982 to 1985 and an executive with similar responsibilities for Allied Signal Inc., now Honeywell Inc., from 1985 until his retirement in 1990.

He was a member of the Air Force Association, the Retired Officers Association and the Merchant Marine Academy’s Superintendent’s Council and Washington Legislative Committee.

In retirement, he organized family cruises, scoured newspaper ads for used Ford Mustangs for his children, and took part in a campaign to raise public awareness about multiple myeloma.

In January 2000, he and his daughter Susan Alvarado received the 1st Annual Public Service Award from the International Myeloma Foundation.

In addition to his daughter, of Alexandria, survivors include his wife of 54 years, Rita Alvarado of Boca Raton; five other children, Donna Alvarado of Granville, Ohio, Bonnie Fay of Alexandria, Rita Akbasli of Highland Beach, Florida, Peter Alvarado of Centreville and Christina Alvarado of Raleigh, North Carolina; a sister; and 10 grandchildren. His son Ricardo Jr. died in 1985.

ALVARADO, RICARDO R., COL, USAF (Ret.), 75

Of Boca Raton, Florida, passed away on April 25, 2002, surrounded by his wife Rita and their six children – Donna, Bonnie, Rita, Susan, Peter and Christina – and his sister Anita. He was preceded in death by son Ricardo Jr. and is the beloved grandfather of ten.

A decorated Air Force officer, fighter pilot, and attorney in the Office of the Judge Advocate General, he served with distinction as legislative adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of Defense. He later directed corporate government affairs for Lockheed, and served as corporate vice-president for government affairs for the Signal Companies and Allied-Signal (now Honeywell) in Washington, DC.

He graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy, where a monument was dedicated in his honor in 2001 for continuous support and service on the Superintendent’s Council. Degrees include: JD, American U; LLM, Georgetown U; and MA, George Washington U. He is listed in Who’s Who in America. In 2000, he received the 1st Annual Public Service Award from the International Myeloma Foundation. He was a member of the Corinthians and Lighthouse Point Yacht and Racquet Club.

He will be remembered with admiration and respect for his warmth, sense of humor, generosity, intellect and deep love of life and family. A private Mass was held at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church on April 26, 2002. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Fort Myer Chapel on May 31 at 8:45 a.m., followed by graveside services and full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Myeloma Foundation, 800-452-CURE.

ALVARADO, RICARDO R

  • COL   US AIR FORCE
  • KOREA, VIETNAM
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 03/29/1927
  • DATE OF DEATH: 04/25/2002
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 66  SITE 6906
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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