Curtis Tafoya

Curtis Allen Tafoya, age 33, our beloved youngest son, and dedicated husband and father unexpectedly passed away Monday February 24, 2025. Curtis was known by his family, friends, and community for his kindness, generosity, and willingness to find opportunities to help everyone around him. Curtis was the kid that carried a first aid kit in his cargo pants so he could be prepared to assist anyone in need. He was a walking dictionary, with an incredible photographic memory and loved to share interesting facts and information to anyone willing to listen.

Curtis was born on March 24, 1991 in Albuquerque, NM at St. Joseph's Hospital to his loving parents, John and Anne Tafoya. His personality was sweet and calm, he loved being held and snuggled, and looked like a Gerber baby with his bright blue eyes, and pinchable cheeks. He was the third boy, the youngest brother, and was adored by his two older brothers Adam and Brandon. The three boys were close in age, each less than 2 years apart, and Adam loved carrying him around like he was his own little baby. At age 2, he became a big brother to his little sister Marisa, and the four of them became inseparable and the best of friends.

He grew into an adventurous and fearless toddler, afraid of nothing, resulting in many late night visits to the ER. Before he even knew how to swim, he would jump into the deep end of the pool and taught himself to swim underwater before he was even 3 years old. He tried his hand in the 4 year old soccer league, and was more interested in stopping and smelling the dandelions than playing the game. From a young age he loved and appreciated nature, and loved spending most of his time outside.

He had a love for learning from early childhood on, although in a somewhat unconventional way. Once he started Kindergarten, he loved having interesting conversations with his teachers, but didn't always enjoy the structure of a classroom setting. His mother would often go to school with him to help him read, as he was dyslexic, but that did not hinder his ability to become an expert in an array of topics and special interests.

Curtis got his first bike for Christmas around age 5. It was the beginning of a lifelong love for riding and eventually repairing and building bicycles. He tried his hand at a variety of sports over the years, but Roller Hockey seemed to be the one that stuck. At age 10, he started his own lawn care business, and enjoyed helping people plant flowers and eventually started the Garden Club at Highland High School.

During his High School years he participated in wrestling, cross country, mountain biking and was a part of the We The People Debate Team and Civil Air Patrol. He also served as Treasurer for his student body. When he wasn't busy with his extra curricular activities, he was working at Rehm's Nursery and the local bike shop. Between juggling school, sports, and work, he would still reserve every Saturday night to spend time with his siblings and friends and plan fun activities and get togethers.

Curtis loved his time spent with his family traveling across the country on family road trips. He especially loved the family reunion trips to Minnesota, Montana, Lake Tahoe, and Yellowstone where he got to spend time with all of his cousins and extended family. He spent a lot of his summers spending time with his grandparents either in Montana on the farm, or in Arizona, or hanging out at his Grandma and Grandpa Tafoya's swimming pool. He enjoyed going Jeeping in Tejerras, Jemez, and Moab, UT with his family and friends. His love for amusement parks likely resulted from their family Disneyland trips. He was just happy to spend time with his family whether it was on vacation, playing Nintendo in the back of his uncle's truck, or just hanging out playing pool at the house.

He graduated from Highland High School in 2009. In the fall of that year, he started attending CNM and after about 18 months graduated with a degree in Fire Science. He began his firefighting career at Western Refinery in Gallup, NM.

During this time, Curtis met the love of his life, Becca Montague, at a church function, and they bonded while preparing food for their church group. They quickly became inseparable, and after being together for a few years, they decided to get married on November 1st, 2012. They both loved each other unconditionally, and Becca was Curtis' safe place.

From a very young age, Curtis felt called to be a firefighter, and he knew that this was his way to make a positive difference in the world. His career took him to a few different small towns in New Mexico. This included working as an industrial firefighter in Gallup, and being a zipline guide and ski patrol EMT in Angel Fire and eventually ending up in Hobbs with his family.

What started out as a great opportunity from the Hobbs Fire Department, eventually led him to graduating top of his class, and planting their roots there. After several years with the Hobbs Fire Department, Curtis took on a new position as a Firefighter and Advanced EMT at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM. Curtis was an outstanding firefighter who always wanted to help. He was eager to learn and never let anyone tell him he couldn't achieve something. He helped many in the community of Hobbs, and even saved a man during his time at WIPP resulting in the President's Life Saving Award in April 2024. He was known to stay calm in times of chaos. He was known by the department not only as a great firefighter, but also as a great man and their brother.

In May of 2016, Curtis and Becca welcomed their beautiful daughter Savannah Paige Tafoya. Curtis was immediately smitten with her, and she became his world. She gave him a sense of meaning and purpose, and along with Becca they meant everything to him. They decided to grow their family, and their son Mason Ernestino Tafoya was born in April of 2018. His heart grew even bigger that day, and his love grew for his family of four. Mason quickly became Curtis' little sidekick, and he made their family feel complete.

Over the years, they enjoyed spending time as a family doing a variety of activities together. Baking, spending time at the local Rec Center, crafting, going to Home Depot on the 1st Saturday of the month for the kids' build projects, and building countless sets of Legos together. They also enjoyed traveling, especially jeeping and road trips to Legoland, Disneyland and other amusement parks. Curtis also loved Halloween, and he and his family loved dressing up together, carving intricate pumpkin designs, and pranking trick or treaters. He always tried to show his children his love for them through spending quality time together, and he was so good at making them feel important and special.

Curtis found a passion for weight lifting, and was at his local gym daily. His dedication and consistency garnered him praise from his gym community and friends. Some of his closest friendships came from spending his time at Big Steve's Gym in Hobbs, NM. He was so strong he could lift close to 400 lbs which helped him qualify for a strong man competition.

He also deeply loved his grandparents, and would be of service to them at every opportunity. He would give anyone the shirt off his back, as his love language was acts of service as anyone reading this likely knows, and has probably experienced.

He is survived by his wife Becca, his daughter Savannah and his son Mason. He is also survived by his parents John and Anne Tafoya, his brothers Adam (Diane), Brandon (Kira) and sister Marisa (Jake). He is also survived by his grandparents Ernestino and Harriett Tafoya, grandmothers Norita Filz, and Jackie Bjergo. He also leaves behind his Aunts and Uncles, Sunan Laws (Dave), Karl Bjergo (Christina), Teresa Paques (Gerald), Steve Tafoya (Judy), Marty Tafoya, Erik Nordheim, Kristi Ojigho (Crediton), Karen Linarez, Kelsey Hartman (David), and Kyle Nordheim (Jessica). He is also survived by his in-laws Steven and Pamela Montague, and brother-in-law David Montague (Bri), and Grandmother-in-Law Alleen Burkholder. His extended family Georgia Frankel (Franko), Michael Gilligan, Tony Sanchez, Chelsea Byrd (Storm), Bella Frankel, and Rocky Frankel. He also leaves behind his nephews and nieces, Kai Tafoya, Jude Tafoya, Eden Tafoya, Rhett Tafoya, Avery Tafoya, Lenna Parkinson, Maisy Parkinson, Mila Parkinson, and Logan Montague. He will be missed by cousins Myke Laws (Aubree), Ryan Laws, Erika Sanford (Blake), Nicole Lord (Derek), Alie Bjergo, Nick Bjergo, Deanna LeMaster (Stephen), Rhonda Tafoya, and Kyle Paques (Becky). He is preceded in death by his grandfathers Allen Bjergo, Nick Montoya, and Jerry Filz, his grandmother Elsie Montoya, and his cousin Estevan Tafoya.

He will be deeply missed by his family, extended family, friends, and firefighter community as well as countless others who knew and loved him.

"You're meant for the sky, 'cause beauty that holy and a heart so kind deserves a place it can fly." -Zach Bryan

A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday March 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m. at FRENCH- Lomas 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to https://gofund.me/b3160e29 to support Becca, Savannah, and Mason.

Please visit our online guest book for Curtis at www.FrenchFunerals.com.