John Alonso, 97, of Navesink, passed away peacefully March 14, 2025. He was born in Newark and relocated to Navesink in 1955.
John was predeceased by his loving wife Christa in 2022, to whom he was married for 69 years, and his sisters, Mary Malvarez, Carmen Alvarez and Estrella Martinez.
Surviving are his son John C. (Florence) Alonso; daughter Janice (Michael) Skirka; five grandsons: Patrick (Frances) Alonso, Jonathan Alonso, Jason (Christy) Alonso, Brian Skirka, Kevin (Kimberly) Skirka; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
John served in the United States Army from September 1945 through January 1952, first serving in Germany during World War II from 1945-1948 and then again during the Korean Conflict from 1951-1952. As a Sergeant First Class, he earned the World War II Victory Medal and the World War II Occupation and Good Conduct medals. For his service in Korea he was awarded the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, the United Nations Service Medal, and a Commendation Medal with metal pendant. Following his discharge from active duty, he served in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring at age 60 as a Master Sergeant.
He is a Life Member and Past Commander of American Legion Post 338 in Leonardo. He was a member of the Post’s national award-winning rifle drill team and organizer of numerous Memorial Day parades. In 2024, he was honored as the Grand Marshall of Middletown’s Memorial Day parade for the second time. In 2019, he received the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Award for lifelong service to his community, church and Legion Post.
John always had a passion for sports; he was a letter-winning football and baseball player at East Side High School in Newark. He continued to play both football and baseball during and after his service with the Army.
In 1964, the passion for baseball continued when he began coaching Little League in Navesink (Soden’s Electric and Navesink Indians) and became a commissioner with the Middletown Youth Athletic Association (MYAA).
In the early 2000s, he became a fixture at Middletown South baseball games while watching his grandsons, Brian and Kevin, play ball. This evolved to active participation in the operation of the American Legion baseball program and support of the Middletown South baseball program for 15 years, where he was affectionately known as “Grandpa.” A monument honoring his support for the program was placed at the ball field in 2011.
John’s life callings were to be a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and to always strive to help others in any way he could, always with his trademark goofy sense of humor.
A memorial service followed by a celebration of life gathering is planned for the end May at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Middletown. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will be live-streamed at wpcmiddletown.org. Further details will be provided as they become available.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in John’s name to Westminster Presbyterian Church 94 Tindall Road, Middletown, NJ 07748 or wpcmiddletown.org, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation at t2t.org.
The article originally appeared in the March 20 – 26, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
