Jay Carrizales

Juan Javier "Jay" Carrizales passed away in Albuquerque, NM, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. He was 71 years old. Jay was born in Chicago, IL, on Thursday, March 12, 1953. After his first airplane ride at age 5, Jay decided to become a pilot. At age 8, he read a library book about Annapolis and decided to attend the U.S. Naval Academy so he could simultaneously go to college and be in the Navy. He became a Sea Cadet at age 14 and graduated from high school in San Bernadino, CA in 1971. He then joined the USNA Class of 1975, where he majored in International Security and participated in rugby and Chapel Choir.

Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, he was assigned to flight training in Pensacola, FL, and Corpus Christi, TX, where he earned his "Wings of Gold." After designation as a Naval Aviator, he was assigned to fly the P-3C Orion in anti-submarine warfare operations throughout the world. Other career assignments were in air ops on NIMITZ, the Atlantic Fleet Staff and duty at Navy Recruiting Command before his final duty assignment as commanding officer of the Navy Recruiting District, Albuquerque.

Jay finished his master's degree and dabbled in a few new careers after his 1996 Navy retirement, including substitute teacher and manufacturing supervisor. Feeling like a "ship out of water," he decided to return to the cockpit after nearly a decade. He took a refresher course and floated his resume, starting his 20-year career as a commercial airline pilot. He began flying for regional airlines, became a flight instructor, and retired a second time in 2018 as a JetBlue captain on the Airbus 320.

Jay had memorable experiences as a commercial pilot, once flying Ringo Starr and his band from Washington Dulles Airport to Nashville. He also flew the inaugural JetBlue flight from New York City to Albuquerque.

Commander Carrizales is survived by his wife, Deborah McFarlane, and his daughter, Sarah Carrizales. A memorial service will be held at and zoomed from the First Congregational United Church of Christ Church in Albuquerque https://www.firstuccabq.org/ on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. He will be inurned at the Naval Academy Columbarium. Memories and condolences may be shared with the Carrizales family at (dmcf@unm.edu).

Memorial gifts may be directed to the USNA '75 Class Gift - Columbarium Project at (www.usna.com/give).