Phillip Edward Alvelda

Phillip Edward Alvelda, 88, was born January 18, 1927, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Felipe and Arita Alvelda, and died peacefully in his home on September 21, 2015. At age 12 Phil became deeply interested in the natural workings of the world and how to build all sorts of machines, most notably custom home-built motorcycles. He earned Bachelors’ and Master’s degrees in Engineering from the University of Buenos Aires, and, still at a very young age, decided to emigrate to the United States where technical careers offered greater opportunities. He went on to study business at Harvard, and earned an MBA from New York University. After his studies, Phil joined the Coca-Cola Company, where he embarked upon a career to design and build manufacturing plants and civic infrastructure worldwide. Phil retired from Coca-Cola less than three weeks shy of his 70th birthday with many patents to his name. Over his 40 years of service to the company, he had designed and built advanced manufacturing plants across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, but was most proud of his work in third-world and developing countries, lifting people out of squalor by building their first sewage and water treatment plants, electricity generation and distribution infrastructure, and roads. From the time he worked to programming the first computer that IBM ever sold, Phil demonstrated to his family an enduring ethos that hard work and ingenuity can change the world, a legacy that lives on through his grandchildren. In his retirement, Phil served as a citizen volunteer reviewing the City of Atlanta’s billion-dollar investment in its water and sewer systems, and began taking piano lessons for the first time in his life. He wrote poetry and enjoyed classical music supporting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and The Atlanta Opera. From his boyhood until his mid-seventies, he excelled in a number of sports including rowing crew, skiing, tennis, and in Argentina, rugby. Phil is survived by his wife of 31 years, Kay; as well as son Phillip, daughter-in-law Stephanie, and granddaughters Sophie and Sydney of Arlington, VA; sister-in-law Susan Holly of Dallas, TX; and brother-in-law Christopher Holly of Washington, D.C.A memorial service and reception will be held at the Sandy Springs Chapel, 136 Mt. Vernon Hwy., Sandy Springs, GA 30328 at 4:30pm on Saturday September 26, 2015.In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the School of Medicine at Emory University, or a charity of your choice.