Ormonde Earp

Ormonde Earp

 Ormonde Earp, a longtime resident of Santa Fe, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on February 16, 2025, at 98 years of age.

Ormonde was born in Xenia, Ohio on December 3, 1926. His family settled in Santa Fe in 1930 during the early years of the Great Depression. The family lived on Upper Canyon Road where Ormonde grew up attending Santa Fe public schools. Following graduation from Santa Fe High, Ormonde enlisted in the US Army/Air Force, serving stateside from 1944-46. Upon return from military service, he married his high school sweetheart Shirley Gust in a ceremony held in a small space rented by a fledgling Lutheran congregation in Sena Plaza. He remained a faithful member of Immanuel Lutheran Church for the remainder of his life.

Ormonde attended the University of New Mexico under the GI Bill, earning a degree in Civil Engineering in 1954. His early professional career included four years at the Office of the New Mexico State Engineer, during which time he managed the redevelopment of several historic irrigation dams along the Pecos River. He then took a position as City Engineer for the City of Santa Fe, where he served for 28 years prior to his retirement in 1988. Ormonde mentored many young civil engineers during this period of city growth and development. He may have known more about the subdivision regulations, streets, traffic lights, and sewer and water systems of his hometown than any individual before or since, all the while surviving multiple changes of city administrations. Ormonde lived a quiet life in retirement spending time with his family, managing rental property, travelling, and exercising for many years at Fort Marcy Recreation Center and Santa Fe Community College. 

Ormonde was preceded in death by his beloved wife Shirley in 2015, parents Dr. J. Rosslyn and Kathleen Earp, brothers David and Kenneth Earp and sister Mary Earp Cowger. 

He is survived by his sons Danny (Marissa) and Douglas (Carol) Earp, and daughter Carole (Richard) Medrano, all of Santa Fe. Additional survivors include his grandchildren Andrea (Michael) Anteau, Celina (Chad) Rogers, Justin (Madeleine Aguilar) Medrano, Shannon Medrano and fiancé Jeremy Romero, and five great-grandchildren: Jacob, Benjamin and Samuel Anteau, and Jenna and Ava Rogers. He is also survived by his brother John (Leslie) Earp of Seattle, Washington, other relatives throughout the country, and his good friend and late-life travel companion Valerie McGonagle. 

The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to the caring staff at MorningStar Assisted Living who took such good care of Ormonde in his final months.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, March 26, 2025, at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.