Pete Santistevan

I was born in Wagon Mound, NM in the year 1923. I lived there until 1932 then moved to Raton, NM and eventually returned to Wagon Mound and resided there until I went to perform my military service. Upon return from the service my wife Dorothe and I married and lived in Las Vegas, NM while I attended New Mexico Highlands University. Upon completion of my B.A. in 1946, I returned to Wagon Mound to teach cabinetmaking and carpentry for the State Department of Education. I also started teaching high school Industrial Arts and Crafts as well as Mathematics. In 1956 I received my Master's Degree from NMHU and I was selected NM Teacher of the Year. I also competed on a national basis for National Teacher of the Year, however I was not selected. That same year I also did some post-graduate work at the University of New Mexico. I became the high school principal in 1958 and superintendent of the school in Wagon Mound in 1960; I held that position until 1965 when I applied for and was hired as superintendent of schools in Bernalillo, NM, where I served until I retired in 1981. I entered the Archdiocese of Santa Fe deaconate formation in 1983 and was in a permanent deacon training program for 4 years. Dorothe attended all the formation classes with me and supported me throughout my training. I was ordained as a permanent deacon in the summer of 1987 at the Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe. I was assigned to serve as a deacon at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Bernalillo the same year and I served there until 1996.
In the fall of 1946, Dorothe C. Wallace and I were married in the fall of 1946 at Santa Clara Church at Wagon Mound, Father Hallanan presided, the maid of honor was Dorothe's sister, Mary, and my best friend Alfred Romero, who passed away this winter, was the best man. Dorothe was my beloved wife for 49 years. Together we reared 9 children, having lost our sweet infant daughter, Patricia, at the age of 7 months; she passed away on Christmas Eve of congenital heart failure. We had looked forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary and had discussed having a celebration renewing our vows with our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and our many friends and neighbors. It was not to be, Dorothe passed to her heavenly home in 1995. How lucky can a guy be to have such a beautiful bride who loved me with all her heart and soul?
My mother was Evelyn Santistevan who died at the age of 30 years from tuberculosis of the lungs when I was 6 years old. Because I slept with her and ate from her plate I contracted tuberculosis, apparently no one knew until I started teaching and was required to have an x-ray. It was then that they pointed out what was calcified T.B. in my left lung. My mother loved me and cared for me for six years until her death, after which I started living with my grandmother, Ellen Fraker Santistevan.
I graduated from Wagon Mound High School in 1942. I received my B.A. from New Mexico Highlands University in 1956. I also attended Branch Agriculture College in Cedar City, Utah and Texas A. & I. in Kingsville, TX.
I enlisted in the Army Signal Corps in the fall of 1942 in Santa Fe, NM. I was called to active duty in the summer of 1943 and reported to Fort Bliss, TX. I transferred from the Signal Corps to the Army Air Corps and became an Air Force Cadet. As a cadet I attended the college training detachment at the Branch Agricultural College in Utah for about 10 months. I took pre-flight training at Santa Ana Army Air Base in Santa Ana, CA. I was assigned to bombardier training in Deming, NM. I did not complete the bombardier training and was assigned to air-to-ground radio operation and maintenance training at Sioux Falls, SD. Upon completion of training as a radio operator I was assigned B-29s and took training in many air bases across the United States, including Mountain Home, ID, Smokey Hills, KS, Lincoln, NB, Madison, WI, Fort Worth, TX, Tucson, AZ, Pyote, TX, and Amarillo, TX and probably some I have forgotten. My experience in the Air Force was rich and very rewarding. I have always regretted that I did not complete bombardier training but found out from my friends that did that the group experienced many deaths and loss of aircraft in North Africa. I did not go overseas and I believe that the prayers from my grandmother, Ellen, and my sweetheart, Dorothe, spared me from combat duty. How lucky can one be? Perhaps we will know more about this when we meet in heaven. I was discharged from the army in the spring of 1946 with the grade of Pvt.


Pete passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Dorothe; his daughter, Patricia; his sons, Paul, Mike, Mark and Myron Santistevan; and his grandsons, Michael and John Santistevan. Pete is survived by his sons, Pete, Matthew (Brigette), and Patrick (Judy); his daughters, Anna (Paul LeFebre), Ellen (Leroy Salazar), Anna J. Sanchez (Robert Montoya); his 31 grandchildren, and his 25 great-grandchildren, as well as many relatives and friends.
Pete's Rosary and funeral will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Bernalillo, NM on Saturday, June 25, 2016 beginning at 11:00 a.m. with a Rosary, followed by Mass of the Resurrection at 12:00 p.m., with Msgr. Bolman presiding. Pallbearers will be his sons, Matthew and Patrick, and grandsons, Robert W. Nolan, John LeFebre, and James Santistevan, and his good friend, James (Santiago) Clifford.
Pete's family would like to thank all of his caregivers; all the Doctors, nurses and other personnel at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Hospital, all of his therapists and home-based nurses and his home health aide from Heritage, Melvin. Pete looked forward to seeing Marie from the Sandoval County Meals on Wheels, also the Eucharistic Ministers from OLOS, Santiago, Sharon and Tina, who faithfully brought the Eucharist to him and brightened his day by their loving presence. We are grateful to Msgr. Bolman, all the Deacons, Orlinda Torres for providing the beautiful music, and everyone who helped in any way.
Pete's remains will be interred at Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Catholic Daughters of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Bernalillo.




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