George Chavez

On Thursday, May 13, 2021, George Chavez Sr.—loving husband, father of three, and grandfather to six—was called home to the Lord at the age of 74. He passed after a month-long fight with a rare blood disease.

George, a lifelong resident of Bernalillo, was born in 1947 to Louise and Ernesto Chavez. He attended Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School (OLOS). George ultimately graduated from Bernalillo High School because he chose to leave OLOS following the announcement that it would be closing after his senior year and that sports had been cancelled for the final year. He moved in with his Uncle in Cuba, NM, to play basketball at Cuba High. He fondly remembered playing against—and beating—Bernalillo High in one week and then transferring to Bernalillo High the next.

George married the love of his life, Gloria (Nieto) after only 3 months of dating. Many thought they were crazy for getting married so quickly, but after 53 years of marriage the only thing that could separate them was his passing. Together, they raised three boys—George Jr., Gary, and Gerald—and Gloria affectionately referred to the family as “The Five Gs”. George always claimed that he did not have a favorite son, but if you ask any of the three, each will say that he was the true favorite. That is the mark of a great father. George was also a loving grandfather to his 6 grandchildren.

George was a volunteer firefighter for the Town of Bernalillo Fire Department for over 35 years, serving as Fire Marshall and Lt. Chief. He fought many fires, helped hundreds of people, and drank countless beers with his firefighter buddies.

George made a career at the U.S. Postal Service in Rio Rancho, NM, as a mail carrier. It is not unusual to meet someone from Rio Rancho that knew George not only as their postman but as the nice guy who helped his customers bring in their trash cans or lent a helping hand to someone in need. George enjoyed his job, but he despised his work vehicles. You could often find George “fixing” his work Jeeps by following the sound of clanging tools, “ouches,” and swear words coming from the front yard.

George loved the Dallas Cowboys and the L.A. Dodgers. He was also a referee and coach for youth and high school sports and took great joy in assessing technical fouls to unruly coaches.

But most of all, George loved and was devoted to his Catholic faith. Following his retirement, he was a daily churchgoer and would walk to Mass each day to get his physical and spiritual exercise at the same time. To help the church, he volunteered at St. Anthony’s Kitchen serving the less fortunate.

It is said that true wealth is measured by the lives you touch. By that measure, George was a very wealthy man.

George is survived by his wife, Gloria; his son, George, and his wife, Leslie, and their children, Xavier and Sabrina; his son, Gary, and his wife, Jaclyn, and their children, Annabelle and Daniel; his son, Gerald, and his wife, Meredith, and their children, Abigail and Zachary; his brothers, Frank (Kiko) Chavez and Louis (Louie) Chavez; his sister, Connie Vick; and unofficial daughter, Lisa Carroll.

A Rosary will be offered on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 7:00 PM at Church of the Incarnation in Rio Rancho (viewing at 6:30). A celebration of the Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Bernalillo on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at 11:00 AM with interment to follow at OLOS cemetery. Livestream of the Mass will be available at www.facebook.com/olosbernalillonm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor George by donating to St. Anthony’s Kitchen c/o Our Lady of Sorrows Church or blood/monetary donation to United Blood Services www.vitalant.org.