Carlos Gallegos

Carlos A. Gallegos was born on November 7, 1946 in Del Norte, Colorado to Modesto and Adela Gallegos. He passed away on March 18, 2021 in his lifelong home in Santa Cruz, New Mexico.

Carlos was inquisitive from an early age: be it building black powder rockets from scratch, sneaking out in the middle of the night to solve the mystery of how cows slept (sitting, standing, or lying down?), or reading book after book to gain a deep understanding of the little insects he was so fond of. The boy called “Bugs” had a passion for knowledge that knew no bounds and endured throughout his long life.

Along with his curious mind, Carlos had a love for art. A nun from Holy Cross recognized his talent early on and taught him how to paint. When Carlos was older, he looked forward to the changing liturgical seasons to find inspiration from the new missalette covers. His styles varied, but within family circles, he was known for his paintings of New Mexican landscapes. A “Carlos” was generously given to mark significant milestones in their lives.

Carlos received a Catholic education from Holy Cross School in Santa Cruz and St. Michael’s in Santa Fe. As a student, Carlos trained at a boxing club and won a boxing trophy at the 1958 Knights of Columbus Boxing Tournament. After high school, he went on to serve his country in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Monrovia, Liberia. When he returned home, he obtained a private pilot’s license and went on to earn a degree in Mathematics from Highlands University.

Possessing a magnificent memory, Carlos would readily recall detailed family genealogy and lore when asked. As a boy, it helped him win a Morse Code competition in Los Alamos where he wowed the judges with a perfect score.

Carlos loved history—the ancient world specifically—and would devour books on that topic continuously. His love of reading in general was evidenced by his overflowing bookshelves, which included an impressive library of National Geographic magazines.

A natural entertainer, Carlos enjoyed making music by playing either the guitar or piano at family gatherings. Sometimes he performed Elvis Presley impressions or slightly improvised Golden Oldies, but the real gems were when he would create songs on the spot—in English, Spanish, or Spanglish—and the themes were anywhere from the current political climate to inside family jokes.

A devout Catholic—generous with his time, talents, and treasure—Carlos was always willing to give what he had to those in need and never asked for anything in return. He was a companion and caregiver to his mother for nearly 15 years after his father passed. Carlos was known for giving people a ride, a place to stay, or cleaning their yards at well below the going rate. Some of the greatest gifts he gave to the people who knew him were companionship and conversation. This is particularly true for his clients who lived alone; he always made time to share a part of his day chatting with them.

In his final months, Carlos impressed healthcare providers with his tenacity and defied life expectancy estimates by a factor of four. He never complained, made requests, nor asked for special treatment. When his time came, he went peacefully and left those of us who knew him better for the love he gave us.

Carlos’ closest nephew, Miguel Gallegos, provided for his every need as his caregiver in his final months. The family wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude and blessings to Miguel for everything he did to care for Carlos.

Carlos was preceded in death by his parents: Modesto and Adela Gallegos; brothers: José E. Gallegos (Del Norte, CO) and Emilio J. Gallegos (El Cerrito, CA); sister-in-law Marcela Gallegos (Santa Fe); and nephews: Tomás Gallegos (Albuquerque) and Aaron Gallegos (Parker, CO).

Carlos is survived by his siblings: Alvaro Gallegos of Albuquerque, Modesto Gallegos (Micaela) of El Llano, Leonel Gallegos (Maria) of Santa Cruz, and Yolanda Reynolds (Ray) of San Jose, CA; sister-in-law Gina Gallegos of El Cerrito, CA; hijados: Ana Gallegos Lopez of Malága, España and Emilio F. Gallegos of Santa Cruz; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Requiem mass will be held at San Juan Bautista Church in Ohkay Owingeh on Tuesday, March 23 at 11:00 a.m. preceded by a rosary to be prayed at 10:00 a.m. by La Fraternidad de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno. All of Carlos’ nephews will serve as pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a mass be paid for the repose of Carlos’ soul at your local parish.

The family of Carlos has entrusted his care to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of Espanola.

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