"Sandy" – Sure you can do it!

Alex Fredrick Ayala. Sportsman, builder, singer, organizer. Friends knew him as Sandy - his dark hair bleached by long summer days on the beaches around Santa Barbara. During World War II, his chair at the University of Southern California on a football scholarship was traded for a seat in the tail of a bomber in the South Pacific. In the 1950s, he shared those football experiences while coaching the line for the Tahoe Truckee High School Wolverines.

Sandy served as Floriston's Nevada County deputy sheriff. He helped organize the building of a vehicle bridge across the Truckee River, so residents could drive all the way to their homes, instead of walking in from the highway as they had for 50 years. Sandy's grandfather Juan Ayala was the contractor who rebuilt the earthquake-damaged Mission Santa Barbara. His father Juan Pablo was a contractor too, and his mother Nelly a respected and caring public health nurse.

And Marion adds: "I'd like to give credit where credit is due - to dad's great grandfather, José Calixto Ayala, patriarch of the California Ayalas and soldado de cuera at the Santa Barbara Presidio; and to his amazing wife, Juana Ursala Vitala Féliz, midwife extraordinaire."

Marion found this on the Library of Congress website — a copy of the 1895 obituary of Juan Ayala (youngest son of José Calixto, and father of Juan Pablo, Sandy's dad):

"Santa Barbara, Nov. 2. The venerable Juan Ayala of Montecito breathed his last yesterday, just one day after passing his eighty-first year. Don Juan was a benevolent Californian of the old school, highly esteemed for his piety and charitable acts, and his life was one of industry. He took a deep interest in church matters and ever endeavored to spread sunshine and gladness among his neighbors. The people of this city and of Montecito, and all others who had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Ayala sincerely mourn his loss. He was a truly good man. A solemn high mass of requiem was celebrated over his remains today at the Catholic church by one of the mission fathers. The funeral was largely attended."

These warm thoughts remind us of our dad – the apple didn't fall far from the tree.