Lt. Col. Army (Retired) Alfred Big Al Freeman Trafford Jr.

On February 16, 2010, Alfred F. Trafford Jr. - retired army lieutenant colonel, dedicated patriarch and loyal friend - passed away peacefully in the company of his children, culminating a life well lived. Affectionately known as "Big Al", he was born in Long Branch, New Jersey on April 26, 1929, the son of Alfred F. Sr. and Dorothy Winters Trafford. He graduated from Long Branch High School in 1948, joined the U.S. Navy the same year, and married the former Mary A. Naughton in 1949. Al left the Navy in 1952 and enrolled in the Creedmoor State Hospital School for Nurses in New York City and, upon graduation in 1959, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He practiced as a nurse anesthetist and went on to receive his BS in Nursing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Al spent the next 16 years in the Army and holds the distinction of having served his country in three military campaigns - the Korean War, the Vietnam War and, in 1990, he was recalled to the U.S. Army to participate in Operation Desert Storm. Al moved to San Antonio in 1970, where he lived for much of the remainder of his life. From 1974 to 1996 he continued his nursing career as a surgical nurse in several local hospitals. Al was a lifelong fan of the New York/San Francisco Giants baseball team and was in attendance at Game 1 of the 1989 World Series at Candlestick Park in San Francisco when the game was postponed due to a devastating earthquake. He also was a San Antonio Spurs season ticket holder for over 20 years and member of the Baseline Bums who was honored on January 28, 2010 for Exceptional Service to the Spurs organization. Al is survived by his sons Al Trafford III (and wife Elyse Tanouye) of Short Hills, NJ and Thomas Trafford (and wife Carol) of Universal City, and his daughter Maureen Jonas (and husband Darrell) of Corpus Christi; half brother Robert Trafford of West Caldwell, NJ and half-sister Mabel Miller of Kaneohe, HI; grandchildren Heather Elliott, Briana Sopala, Laren Espinoza, Jennifer Reider, Christopher Jonas, Matthew Jonas, Alane Trafford and Sean Trafford; and great grandchildren Taylor Trafford, Breck Elliott and Aiden Sopala. A memorial service to celebrate Big Al’s life will be held Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home in Universal City. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Humane Society of Bexar County. Please leave condolences at www.colonialuniversal.com

Arrangements under the direction of Colonial Funeral Home, Universal City, TX.