Former Moanalua High football coach Jose Guevara Jr. died July 19 at the age of 44.

Guevara, who had been with the Department of Education, had moved to the West Coast about two years ago. He had been a volunteer scout for Castle from 2003 to 2006, Knights' coach Nelson Maeda said. Before helping Maeda, Guevara had been head coach at Moanalua from 1995 to 2002, compiling a 28-41-1 record. He took his team to the postseason three times, but on each occasion Moanalua lost its first-round game.

"It's a big loss," Maeda said. "We felt his loss when he moved to the Mainland. I was shocked that he passed away.

"Jose and I had a friendship going back through coaching. Since he was no longer at Moanalua, I asked him if he would be interested in helping our staff. Because he had other things going on, he couldn't devote as much time coaching (on the field), so (scouting) was the way he helped us and kept him involved with football."

Guevara, an all-star lineman for Moanalua in the early 1980s, earned all-conference honors in football in 1985 at Linfield, where he played on two NAIA Division II national title teams.

Guevara is survived by wife Esther Keohuloa-Guevara, stepson John Keohuloa II, sisters Geri Akamine and Isabel Hubbard, brother Wayne, and five grandchildren.

Visitation is from 5 to 9 p.m. tomorrow at Borthwick Mortuary. Service is 7 p.m. The family requests no flowers.