Mariano Jose Mares Jr.

Mariano Jose Mares Jr., born March, 1942 in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, went to be with the Lord on June 20, 2018 at his home in Roswell, surrounded by his family and close friends. There will be a Viewing at Anderson Bethany Funeral Home on Thursday, June 28, 2018, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Funeral services for Mariano, are planned for Friday, June 29, 2018, 3:00 pm at Christ’s Church, 2200 N. Sycamore Avenue, Roswell, New Mexico, with a graveside immediately to follow in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Celebrate Mariano’s life by visiting www.andersonbethany.com to offer a memory or expression of sympathy for his family. Mariano was born to Florence Corine Casaus and Mariano Mares. Mariano was the sixth child born of eight. His mother and father both pre-deceased him, along with his brother Ezekiel, his sisters, Clara, Perla, Floripa and Mary Viola. Mariano, affectionately known as “Red” or “Uncle Junior”, was married to his loving wife, Angie for fifty-three years. They were blessed to have adopted and loved their only child, Patricia. Mariano is survived by his loving family, Angie, Tricia and Dirk and his only grandchildren, Chaundra, July and Tara. Mariano is also survived by his two sisters, Vivian and Elizabeth and their families, along with Angie’s family and hundreds of cousins, nieces and nephews..... he had a big family. Mariano‘s favorite companion in his last few months was his sweet poodle puppy, Buddy. Mariano graduated from Fort Sumner High School in 1960. After high school, he did some carpentry work with his dad and some of the buildings he helped build still stand today. Mariano’s true work career started with the New Mexico State Highway Department. A few years after starting with the Highway Department, he moved to Albuquerque to work in the uranium mines. Working in these mines for fourteen years lead to so many illnesses for Mariano. He struggled most of his life with several health issues. But, he was a strong man and always worked hard to provide for his family. In 1981, the uranium mines shut down and he was able to return to the New Mexico State Highway Department in Roswell. Even through illness, he was a strong and super smart man and even without a full college education, he got very far and was sought after by many companies for his auditing and math skills. After retiring from the Highway Department in 2005, he went on to work for Bohannan Houston for several years until his health failed him and forced him into retirement. Mariano met and made numerous lifetime friends in the highway department. Mariano could tinker and fix ANYTHING. He could do woodwork, electrical work, plumbing and not only was he a jack of all trades, he was a master of most. He loved to cook and was famous for his big breakfasts. Mariano always had a laugh and smile, he was quite the jokester, everyday with everyone... As a boy, he loved to play cars in the dirt with his siblings, and that must have fueled his thoughts that every boy needed a truck. He was very loving but always teased his siblings, as a past time. In his younger years he loved to camp and fish.... he taught Tricia at a young age the love of both too. He spent many a summers at Ft. Sumner Lake and Elephant Butte Lake camping with his family. He also spent time in the Jemez mountains with his family. Mariano was always a forgiving person. He was also a servant of Christ. He could read the scriptures and memorized them easily. He gave his life to Christ and was saved in 1975. He was water baptized in the Rio Grande River with his wife and daughter, the same year. Pallbearers will be Jerome Sena, Chris Sena, Geno Sena, Richard Gonzales, Christopher Chavez, Larry Roybal, Dickie Roybal and BJ Dunn. Special thanks to our Christ’s Church family, special caregivers, Walinda and Maylon, Araceli, Deyanria, Lupita, Yolanda, Yareli and Claudia who cared for him like their own and his grandaughter Chaundra, special thanks to his nurse, Renee, Hospice and Encompass. Mariano’s tribute was lovingly written in his honor by his family.

Mariano Jose Mares Jr.

March 12, 1942 - June 20, 2018