A reminder of Asturias

[Manuell Alvarez]

Hola Amigos,

My late father, several years before his death in December, 1975, told us four children that he wanted to be buried at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in the Catholic Cementery because the Blue Ridge Mountains and two rivers there reminded him of his home in Asturias.

Complying with his wish, our oldest brother purchased ten burial lots there at St. Peters Cementery located on a hillside facing U.S. Route 340 and the Shenandoah River. My only sister is also buried there below his grave.

My two brothers and I, along with his two Spanish nephews from Fairmont and his son-in-law, Ben, were his pall bearers.

From the trips to Harpers Ferry that we made with him and his burial wish, I surmised that he was homesick for his home in Asturias. He left Spain in 1920, and came to Clarksburg when he was 17 years old.

I become teary eyed watching the Luis Argeo film entitled "AsturianUS", when he and Ron Gonzalez, visit the Clarksburg Cemnetery and pan the camera across graves of the Asturianos, many who probably knew my father and his family who lived in Anmoore. Luis also found the grave of his uncle buried there. It brings back my own fond memories of my Asturian father.

Manny