Pete Lucero

Pete was born Pedro Atenogenes Lucero on June 29, 1909 in Puerto de Luna, Territory of New Mexico, to the home of Donaciano Lucero and Catalina Luna. He died March 15, 2005 in Santa Rosa, NM. He was the youngest of nine children, five boys and four girls. Five of the children died during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918. He married first wife, Julia Sanchez, on February 21, 1935. She died during child birth after fifteen months of marriage. He married his second wife, Piedad Romero, on July 29, 1939. She succumbed to cancer in 1978 after thirty-nine happy years of marriage. Pete and Piedad raised his sister Paula’s school-aged children after her death in 1961 and saw them through high school graduation. They were Dante, Joel and Lupita. Pete and Piedad also had a great impact on all their nephews and nieces lives. They were padrinos to many couples who were getting married and were godparents to many children whom they baptized. Pete had a great formula for life---work hard, be there for others and always laugh. He is survived by his niece and caregiver, Lupita, wife of Dan Flores, Santa Rosa, NM; nephew Dante Baca, husband of Ann, Edgewood, NM; niece Oma Lewis of El Paso, TX; and niece Joel, wife of Tony Duran, Alamogordo, NM. Other nieces and nephews include Tony Lucero, Jr. and Frances Sanchez of Fort Collins, CO; Roy Gonzales, Placido Salazar, Edward Salazar, Rudy Salazar, Kathy Salazar, and Linda Salazar, all of Santa Rosa, NM; and Frances Murray of Albuquerque, NM as well as numerous other relatives. Pete, “Teno” to his friends, lived his early life in Puerto de Luna and relished telling stories about the Catholic Church, swimming in the Pecos River and playing ball with his team, “Los Iglesias.” In his early years Pete worked as a sheepherder, the train depot Eating House in Santa Rosa, nearby copper mines, Jack’s Café, a bartender at Traveler’s Bar and Dom’s Bar and fifteen years for the Dr. Sanford family. In 1981 he retired as a custodian from the Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools. Pete’s love for life was unique. He was well-known throughout the Santa Rosa area for his love for walking. He preferred walking to owning a car. He took particular pleasure in the annual ten mile Good Friday pilgrimage from Santa Rosa to Puerto de Luna. However, being contrary, he preferred to walk to and from Puerto de Luna instead of just doing the one-way walk like everyone else. During his senior years he also took up jogging as a hobby and would compete in age-group races. He also enjoyed watching boxing matches. His love for boxing started with his boxing in area matches as a young man. His favorite summer pastime was watching softball games at the local ballparks. During tournaments he would watch softball non-stop throughout the weekend. He also enjoyed watching his favorite boys and girls high school athletic teams, the Santa Rosa Lions. Pete was a member of the Saint Rose of Lima Parish and the Campos Senior Citizens. There will be a rosary service for Pete on Thursday, March 17, at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Rose of Lima. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Rose of Lima on March 18 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Saint Joseph’s Cemetery. Serving as Pallbearers will be Matthew Ulibarri, Priscilla Garcia, Eddie Salazar, Steve Flores, Stephanie Flores and Phil Sanchez. Serving as Honorary Pallbearers will be Dan Flores, Jr., Tony Lucero, Jr., Chuck Lewis, Rudy Salazar, Roy Gonzales, Frank Baca, Jr., Paul Duran, Aaron Baca, Leroy Gallegos, Chemo Arrellin, Johnny Marquez, Rudy Sanchez, Cecilia Quintana and Placido Salazar. All services are entrusted to the Chavez Funeral Home of Santa Rosa. www.chavezfuneralhome.com