Alfonso Salas

Alfonso Salas was born January 23, 1928, in Chandler, CO to Jose and Dolores Salas. He died peacefully on June 7, 2024, in Albuquerque, NM. He grew up in the mining camps of Chandler, CO and Standardville, UT. He entered the Army after graduating from Carbon High School, Price, UT in 1946 and served in South Korea as a courier riding the train from the southern coast to Seoul. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1954 with an accounting degree. Before he moved to Albuquerque to work for the Atomoic Energy Commission where he helped automate the accounting process; Alfonso had worked as miner, railroader, farm worker, and the corn grinder when the family made the Christmas tamales from scratch. In August 1958, Alfonso married Teresa Cecilia Sena of Los Lunas, NM. They had 3 children: Maria, Tom, and John.

Alfonso enjoyed all cuisines which always tasted better with chili. He enjoyed watching golf. His appreciation started as a boy in Chandler, playing with his younger brother, Julian. Together they would get a broom stick, find stray golf balls, and hit them around an overgrown golf course.

As an accountant, Alfonso appreciated balancing financial accounts and liked tax season. He would start preparing before the new year and prepared his and family member’s taxes.

Alfonso retired from the Department of Energy in 1984 and spent much of his time caring for his grandchildren. They would often play games. Some of the monopoly games would last for a week. He loved to dance especially to Mariachi music and was a member of American Legion Post 13 where he met Lupita whom he married in June 2004. He also served on the Scholarship Committee at the post.

Alfonso traveled across the USA, Hawaii, Alaska and Europe, sometimes meeting his brothers in Nevada enjoying a game of chance. One or two times a year, he would visit family in Helper, UT. He relished the food his mother and sister prepared, especially refried beans, fresh salsa, and tortillas.

Alfonso was preceded in death by his first wife Teresa Cecilia Salas; sisters Nicandra and Ramona; brothers Anacleto, Eulogio "Joe", Victor, and Julian (Maria). He is survived by his wife Lupita Gurule-Salas; children Maria Johnson (Jerry Johnson), Tom Salas (Monica Romero-Salas), and John Salas; grandchildren Nathan Hellwig (Kristen Fichtner), Veronica Hellwig, Michael Romero-Salas (Analise Lotz), Thomas Romero-Salas Jr., and Antonio Rafael Romero-Salas; and great-grandchild Colette "Coco" Lotz-Salas.

A rosary will be said Tuesday, July 16 at 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 4020 Lomas Blvd. NE in Albuquerque, followed by a mass at 11 AM. Interment will be at 12:30 PM at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 7999 Wyoming Blvd. NE. A reception will follow at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 7601 Wyoming Blvd. NE.