Adan Herrera

Adan J. Herrera Obituary

 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Adan (AJ) Herrera on June 19th, 2024. Adan died peacefully of natural causes at home at the age of 93.

 While we mourn Adan's passing, we are comforted in the knowledge that all of us whose lives he touched were blessed to have known and shared in the life of a truly amazing individual.

 Throughout his life, Adan was a loyal and consummate servant to his Lord and Savior, (Daniel 10:19) to his family, his friends and his country. 

 He was preceded in death by Nancy, his wife of 64 years, his son David and step-sons Anthony and Paul. Also preceding him were his parents, Leandro and Belen Herrera, his brothers Leo and Sosimo (Carole) and his sister Clara Roybal. Also, his in-laws, Adela and Leandro Padilla. His brothers-in-law Leandro Roybal, Leandro Padilla Jr., Carlos Padilla and sisters-in-law Epimenia, Rose and Delsey.

 Adan is survived by his son Vince and his grandson Corey, whom Adan and Nancy helped raise. Also surviving are his brothers Floyd and Pete (Patricia) and his sisters Elizabeth (Marvin) Gallegos and Lorie Salazar. Survivors also include his sister-in-law Lena (Orlando) Lucero, brother-in-law Ezequiel(Agnes) Padilla and his devoted, supportive and loving niece Nadine (Richard) Larranaga, along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. 

 Adan was born on March 19, 1931 in the northern New Mexico village of Chamita. He was the third of eight children born to his parents, Leandro and Belen. Along with his siblings, he grew up on the family's orchard and chili farm, which meant he learned at an early age to embrace and appreciate the value of hard work.

 That work ethic was a lifelong part of his life. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 50 years, finally retiring with a considerable amount of regret at the age of 80. If it had been up to him, Adan would have kept showing up for his nightly graveyard shift, where he was affectionately known by his co-workers as A.J. 

 But there was so much more to Adan. This was a man who was seemingly born to serve others. He was a faithful and obedient son, a loving and devoted husband to Nancy and a role model extraordinaire to his children and younger siblings. To many of his nephews and nieces he was “our favorite Uncle”. Generous and thoughtful, always feeling welcomed.

 He was well-read and knowledgeable on a myriad of subjects, from sports to medicine to politics. Though his body weakened over the final years of his life, his mind remained sharp and sound to the very end.

 Adan was a graduate of Espanola High School, where he was an honors student and baseball player. Years later, he played for the Los Alamos Bombers, a semi-pro baseball team. 

 He was a man of faith and avid bible reader for whom prayer, meditation and reflection were a daily part of his life. He not only read his bible daily but came to understand Gods purpose and meaning of the Lords’ prayer through its pages. This understanding gave him hope and confidence in the future. 

(Matthew 6:9) This understanding gave him hope and confidence in the future.  Motivating him to dedicate the remainder of his last two years of life to his Creator and Heavenly Father, Jehovah, at the amazing age of 91.  

 He was a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco 49ers. Which in the summer meant he read his Bible every morning and rooted for the Dodgers every night.

 Adan joined the Marines after high school, then later was a student at the University of New Mexico. 

 As a teen-ager, he was the protective big brother to his younger siblings.

 As an adult and former Marine, he was a stand-in disciplinarian with a velvet hand. Clean hands, good manners and respect for your elders were big with Adan. Violate any of those ethics and a single look from Adan was all it took for you to know you were in trouble.

 When our mom and dad's health started to decline and they had to sell the family home and farm in Chamita, it was Adan who found them their new home in Albuquerque. And it was Adan who stopped by every day to make sure their every need was met. 

 When Nancy's health deteriorated with the onset of dementia, Adan and Vince became her primary care takers. With unconditional compassion they made sure she knew she was loved and comfortable. Adan, who never forgot where he came from and the teachings of his Hispanic culture, made sure Nancy remained in their home and received constant care. 

 A fitting tribute to Adan's lifelong mission to serve is the story of Corey Smith, who came into Adan and Nancy's lives when Corey was six months old. More than 36 years ago, Corey's mother, Debbi, placed an ad in the Albuquerque newspaper. As a single, working mom, Debbi was looking for a babysitter for Corey. Adan and Nancy answered the ad and when Debbi met them, she knew she had found the perfect couple to care for her infant son.

 As Corey grew into a toddler and began to speak, he had trouble pronouncing Adan's name. His best attempt came out as ``Audi.'' Corey started calling Nancy ``Honey'' because that's the term of endearment he'd hear Adan use when talking to Nancy.

 Thus began a love affair that only grew stronger as the years went by. So strong was their connection that in time Adan and Nancy embraced Corey as their grandson. Even after he grew into an adult and left Albuquerque, Corey made sure he visited Adan and Nancy anytime he came back to visit his mom.

 Debbi, in the days following Adan's passing, called Adan and Nancy, ``the second biggest blessing in my life next to my son.''

 Corey, now 37 and a nurse at the University of Utah, called Audi ``one of the nicest, warmest and most kindhearted individuals I have known.''

 That was the Adan all of us who were fortunate enough to have had him in our lives knew and loved. 

Rest in peace good and faithful shepherd. By any name--Adan, Audi, Don, A.J.--you were beautiful and we will miss you deeply! 

We want to thank All those involved with High Desert Hospice who with such care helped us through these difficult days.