Louis Guillermo Pacheco

Louis Guillermo Pacheco entered eternal life on January 24, 2025. He was born on October 1, 1936, to Arturo and Amalia (Archuleta) Pacheco in Guadalupita, New Mexico, in the beautiful Mora Valley. He came from families that have spent generations living in the mountains of northern New Mexico. His family were farmers, ranchers, and loggers. Louis began logging with his father when he was very young, and he logged on and off into his 50’s. At a very young age, Louis met the love of his life, Laura Sandoval, and married her in 1956. 

 To earn a living, Louis, along with his parents and siblings, moved like gypsies from logging camp to logging camp throughout the Southwest, working in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. In 1959, he was drafted into the Army, serving in California and Georgia, and was honorably discharged in 1962. Upon returning to New Mexico, the family resumed their on-the-move logging operations. Louis, Laura, his parents, and siblings eventually settled in Española, New Mexico in 1967. In 1965, Louis and Laura started their family with Jerry, followed by Louis Arthur in 1974, and Roger in 1980. 

 In this same year, Louis, along with his wife, established Louie’s Chain Saw Shop, a chain saw and small engine repair and sales shop in Española. This was the second Stihl brand dealer in the state. He always said that he wanted to go to a big, metropolitan city rather than go back to the country, so he picked Española. Over the years, Louis’ shop repaired equipment for loggers, woodcutters, and homeowners throughout northern New Mexico. Everybody in this region seemed to know Louis and his family because of his shop. Each one of his children grew up working with their father, absorbing his work ethic. 

 He was a talented mechanic that could fix almost anything. His work ethic was unparalleled. Often, he would go to the forest to log in the mornings from 7 am to 3 pm, then return to his shop to fix customers’ equipment until he went to bed and did it all again the next day. 

 Louis loved hunting, fishing, and camping with his entire family. Many summers were spent fishing in mountain springs, the Rio Grande, and various lakes throughout the state. Many winters were spent hunting deer, elk, grouse, and wild turkey in the mountains. The family’s freezer was always filled with wild game and fish. 

 Louie loved animals, especially the dogs that he had during his life. He loved his friends, many of whom he had known since he was a young man. However, above all, he loved his family. He was married to Laura Pacheco for 38 years until her passing in 1994. He was a strong believer in Christ and the Catholic Church and was a parishioner of Santa Cruz Parish for 58 years. Louie was generous to a fault, oftentimes lending people money or equipment without it ever being repaid or returned. 

 He lived a life filled with hard work, adversity, and tragedy, having lost a young son to an accident, and wife, who battled Parkinson’s disease and other ailments that beset her at a young age, but he always got up every morning to face the day and to make his and others’ lives better. He ran Louie’s Chain Saw Shop until 2019 when health issues started to take their toll. He never gave up, no matter what the circumstance.

Louis was preceded in death by his parents, son Louis Arthur, brother Roger, and Sister Edna. 

He is survived by sons Jerry and Roger, siblings Mabel, Wilfred, Richard, and Annabelle, grandchildren Joseph, Luisa, Milo, and Zia. 

Services will be held at Santa Cruz Parish in Santa Cruz, New Mexico, on Monday February 10, 2025, starting at 9:30 am with a rosary, followed by a mass celebrating his life at 10:00 am. Services will conclude with a burial at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, New Mexico at 12:30 pm. 

Pallbearers include Joseph Pacheco, Rudy Pacheco, Tony Pacheco, Rick Pacheco, Eric Pacheco, and Cody Pacheco. Honorary pallbearers include Luisa Pacheco, Michelle Pacheco, and Anthony Pacheco.

The family of Louis Pacheco has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the beautiful Espanola Valley. www.devargasfuneral.com 505-747-7477