ALEZANDRO "ALEX" JARA, 67 of North Platte, NE, passed away Tuesday, August 2, 2016 at Great Plains Health in North Platte.

Alex was born July 26, 1949 in Julesburg, Colorado to Atilano Torres and Dolores (Manjarrez) Jara. He graduated from Ogallala High School with the class of 1967.

Alex had worked in sales for the majority of his life. He sold insurance & became a realtor for a few years before eventually going to work for the Kirby Vacuum Company in Aurora, Colorado. It was while working at Kirby, that he developed a close friendship with Jan Sanftner, which eventually blossomed into a long and fulfilling companionship. Alex went on to work for Comcast before taking on his most fulfilling work, which was driving a school bus for the handicapped children of the Aurora Public School District. Alex developed bonds with many of the children he drove for, and looked forward to seeing the kids on his route. Following a cancer diagnosis, Alex and Jan moved to North Platte in Sept. of 2015, where they could be closer to family.

Alex enjoyed working in his yard and tending to the landscape. He liked taking road trips and site seeing. He was also an avid Denver Broncos fan.

Alex was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Thomas Jara; niece, Lolita Jara; and a great-nephew, Emelio Jara.

Survivors include his spouse, Jan Sanftner of North Platte; 3 children, Christina (Stephen) McKinzie of Clinton, UT, (Tony) Anthony Ramirez of Greeley, CO, Jeremy (Angelina) Jara of Northglenn, CO; stepson, David (Christine) Sanftner of Fort Drum, NY; 15 grandchildren; 1 great grandchild; 6 sisters, Adela (Frank) Lunkwitz of Monument, KS, Mary Martinez of North Platte, Delores Gutierrez of Greeley, CO, Victoria Mesenbrink of Fontana, CA, Nina Arechiga of Greeley, CO, MaElfida (Willard) Blodgett of Beaumont, CA; 7 brothers, JR (Alvina) Jara, Refugio (Connie) Jara & Joe (Carol) Jara, all of Ogallala, Henry (Carol) Jara of Beaumont, CA, Adam (Dora) Jara of San Angelo, TX, Douglass Jara of Greeley, CO, Michael Jara of North Platte; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Funeral Mass will be on Monday, August 8, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Ogallala with Father Bryan Ernest as Celebrant. Interment of cremains will be in the Ogallala Cemetery. Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.