Pedro Atencio

Pedro Luis Atencio passed on to the next life on November 13, 2016, at home surrounded by his close family. He was 67 years old. He was first and foremost a family man taking great pride in his and Diane’s three children and seven grandchildren Pedro was a graduate of St Michael’s High School and earned a B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies with a minor in Portugese at the University of New Mexico. He spent one year in Quito, Ecuador at UNM’s Andean Center. He went on to earn an M.A. in Bilingual Education from New Mexico Highlands University. A high point of his recent life was a return to Ecuador to visit the family with which he had lived as a student. He was a lifelong educator working as a teacher at Holy Cross School, Agua Fria Elementary, Alvord Elementary, and Sweeney Elementary where he also became the school’s principal. From 1988 to 1997 he served as the state coordinator and director of Re:Leaning New Mexico, a statewide school reform program affiliated with the Coalition of Essential Schools based at Brown University and the Education Commission of the States. He was a devoted fan of and advocate for children. In school year 1971-72, Pedro volunteered at Holy Cross School in Espanola as a Spanish teacher, physical education and basketball coach. A member of a prominent restaurateur family from Espanola, he worked much of his life at El Paragua Restaurant which just celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 1999 he partnered with his younger son Javier to open El Parasol in Santa Fe. That enterprise under the umbrella of Las Brazas Corporation has grown to include seven restaurants, two in Santa Fe, one in Los Alamos, one in Pojoaque and three in Espanola. An avid gardener, Pedro spent much of each year since his retirement on his ever-expanding garden. He loved to gift his friends with flowers and plants and many times earned ribbons from the New Mexico State Fair for his garden flowers. Pedro is survived by his wife Diane, his three children, Mario and wife Crystal, Alicia Tapia and her husband Alex, Javier and wife Renae and seven Atencio grandchildren, Aramea, Dorino, Eleiana, Florian,,Javier, Genesio, and Zuriel. Additionally Pedro leaves his siblings, David Bouvet and wife Anne, Lorenzo Atencio and Yvonne, Dorothy Maestas, Olga Garcia, Maria Atencio, Cristobal Atencio and Marcella, Jose Atencio and Alicia, Angela Sanchez and James and Ralph Atencio and Julie. There is also a myriad of nieces and nephews for whom their Tio Peter has been a positive role model. He had multiple godchildren of all ages as well. Other survivors include aunts and uncles Andres Torres, Clara Torres Pedroza, Theresa Torres Bojorquez, and Apolinar Torres. He was preceded in death by his parents, Luis and Frances Torres Atencio, a niece Anna Atencio, a nephew Rafael Atencio, brother-in-law Eugene Garcia and an infant sister Anna Marie. There will be a rosary at 6:30 p.m. Friday November 18 at Santa Cruz de la Canada Catholic Church where Pedro received all of his sacraments and was an altar server. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 1:00 on Saturday, November 19 at the same location Interment of his ashes will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. The family requests that attendees at the services forego wearing the black of mourning and dress in bright colors like those that were always in abundance in his beloved garden. This is a celebration of a life well-lived. The family wants to thank the nurses and staff at Ambercare. the nurses, doctors and staff at Presbyterian and especially Mary Salazar and family for her support and nursing skills.