LUCERO -- Fred Saturnino Lucero Sr., November 4, 1904 - January 26, 2007, was 102 years old when he passed away peacefully from natural causes.
He felt he had lived a long time and had just weeks before told his family he was ready to meet his maker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, of 63 years in 1993, Mary Pelgia Gallegos Lucero; and sisters, Tela Chavez, Dora Clark, Bennie Soto, Beulah Garcia; and great-grandson, Jason Blattspieler. Fred is survived by his brother, Don Lucero; four children: Fred Jr.(Jolene) Lucero, and Steve (Ann) Lucero, live in San Jose, CA; Dolores (Ronald) Walters, live in Brentwood, CA, and Grace (Jim) Matthiessen, live in Santa Fe, NM. In addition he is survived by nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom live in California. In addition he is survived by a sister, Toni Angel, who currently lives in Austin, TX.
Fred was born in the Armijo area of Albuquerque where he grew up. He joined the Army at age 19 and was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, HI in the early 1920s. He married Mary Pelgia Gallegos from Bernalillo September 29, 1930. During World War II, he worked for Kirtland Air Force Base for two years.
He moved his family to Richmond, California, in 1943, when he took a job with Kaiser Industries building war ships. He continued to work in the steel industry after the end of the war, later ending his career working for the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, CA, where he retired at age 66. Fred lived in Vallejo, CA when he worked at Mare Island and later moved to San Jose, CA, to be closer to the children and grandchildren. Fred and Pelgia enjoyed their retirement years. They took long vacations driving around the country in a motor home.
He also visited Canada and Mexico in his motor home. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and he maintained a vegetable garden wherever he could find a plot of dirt. We will miss him because he was kind, generous, supportive of his children's efforts, active in his church, and was a role model for living long. He never said, "I can't do that, I'm too old." No matter what it was, he was up to doing it. At age 80 he bought his first motorcycle. We all thought it was too dangerous but he felt it was time. He said that when he was young his mother would not let him get one, and later his wife would not let him get one, but now at age 80 it was time.
He enjoyed it for about three years and never once had an accident. After his wife Pelgia died he decided to leave San Jose and return to Albuquerque. At the age of 90 he was still driving the motor home. He packed the motor home and drove it to Albuquerque and he continued to drive a car until he was 99. He bought a home in Rio Rancho where he was able to live alone in the beginning and later with the help of housekeepers and the vigilant care of his daughter, Grace, son-in-law, Jim and nephew, Lolo Chavez and his wife, Alvita.
His son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Ann visited him yearly to help him maintain the house and his well being. He remained in Rio Rancho until recently when he went to live at the Kingston Residence in Santa Fe near his daughter Grace and son-in-law Jim who faithfully cared for him until the end. Because he lived to be 102 he was frequently asked what his secret for longevity was and answer was, "Choose the right ancestors." He did nothing in particular to extend his life; he did not watch his diet, did not exercise, he smoked in his early years, etc., but apparently he had "good genes."
He felt he had lived a long time and had just weeks before told his family he was ready to meet his maker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, of 63 years in 1993, Mary Pelgia Gallegos Lucero; and sisters, Tela Chavez, Dora Clark, Bennie Soto, Beulah Garcia; and great-grandson, Jason Blattspieler. Fred is survived by his brother, Don Lucero; four children: Fred Jr.(Jolene) Lucero, and Steve (Ann) Lucero, live in San Jose, CA; Dolores (Ronald) Walters, live in Brentwood, CA, and Grace (Jim) Matthiessen, live in Santa Fe, NM. In addition he is survived by nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom live in California. In addition he is survived by a sister, Toni Angel, who currently lives in Austin, TX.
Fred was born in the Armijo area of Albuquerque where he grew up. He joined the Army at age 19 and was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, HI in the early 1920s. He married Mary Pelgia Gallegos from Bernalillo September 29, 1930. During World War II, he worked for Kirtland Air Force Base for two years.
He moved his family to Richmond, California, in 1943, when he took a job with Kaiser Industries building war ships. He continued to work in the steel industry after the end of the war, later ending his career working for the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, CA, where he retired at age 66. Fred lived in Vallejo, CA when he worked at Mare Island and later moved to San Jose, CA, to be closer to the children and grandchildren. Fred and Pelgia enjoyed their retirement years. They took long vacations driving around the country in a motor home.
He also visited Canada and Mexico in his motor home. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and he maintained a vegetable garden wherever he could find a plot of dirt. We will miss him because he was kind, generous, supportive of his children's efforts, active in his church, and was a role model for living long. He never said, "I can't do that, I'm too old." No matter what it was, he was up to doing it. At age 80 he bought his first motorcycle. We all thought it was too dangerous but he felt it was time. He said that when he was young his mother would not let him get one, and later his wife would not let him get one, but now at age 80 it was time.
He enjoyed it for about three years and never once had an accident. After his wife Pelgia died he decided to leave San Jose and return to Albuquerque. At the age of 90 he was still driving the motor home. He packed the motor home and drove it to Albuquerque and he continued to drive a car until he was 99. He bought a home in Rio Rancho where he was able to live alone in the beginning and later with the help of housekeepers and the vigilant care of his daughter, Grace, son-in-law, Jim and nephew, Lolo Chavez and his wife, Alvita.
His son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Ann visited him yearly to help him maintain the house and his well being. He remained in Rio Rancho until recently when he went to live at the Kingston Residence in Santa Fe near his daughter Grace and son-in-law Jim who faithfully cared for him until the end. Because he lived to be 102 he was frequently asked what his secret for longevity was and answer was, "Choose the right ancestors." He did nothing in particular to extend his life; he did not watch his diet, did not exercise, he smoked in his early years, etc., but apparently he had "good genes."
LUCERO -- Fred Saturnino Lucero Sr., November 4, 1904 - January 26, 2007, was 102 years old when he passed away peacefully from natural causes.
He felt he had lived a long time and had just weeks before told his family he was ready to meet his maker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, of 63 years in 1993, Mary Pelgia Gallegos Lucero; and sisters, Tela Chavez, Dora Clark, Bennie Soto, Beulah Garcia; and great-grandson, Jason Blattspieler. Fred is survived by his brother, Don Lucero; four children: Fred Jr.(Jolene) Lucero, and Steve (Ann) Lucero, live in San Jose, CA; Dolores (Ronald) Walters, live in Brentwood, CA, and Grace (Jim) Matthiessen, live in Santa Fe, NM. In addition he is survived by nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom live in California. In addition he is survived by a sister, Toni Angel, who currently lives in Austin, TX.
Fred was born in the Armijo area of Albuquerque where he grew up. He joined the Army at age 19 and was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, HI in the early 1920s. He married Mary Pelgia Gallegos from Bernalillo September 29, 1930. During World War II, he worked for Kirtland Air Force Base for two years.
He moved his family to Richmond, California, in 1943, when he took a job with Kaiser Industries building war ships. He continued to work in the steel industry after the end of the war, later ending his career working for the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, CA, where he retired at age 66. Fred lived in Vallejo, CA when he worked at Mare Island and later moved to San Jose, CA, to be closer to the children and grandchildren. Fred and Pelgia enjoyed their retirement years. They took long vacations driving around the country in a motor home.
He also visited Canada and Mexico in his motor home. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and he maintained a vegetable garden wherever he could find a plot of dirt. We will miss him because he was kind, generous, supportive of his children's efforts, active in his church, and was a role model for living long. He never said, "I can't do that, I'm too old." No matter what it was, he was up to doing it. At age 80 he bought his first motorcycle. We all thought it was too dangerous but he felt it was time. He said that when he was young his mother would not let him get one, and later his wife would not let him get one, but now at age 80 it was time.
He enjoyed it for about three years and never once had an accident. After his wife Pelgia died he decided to leave San Jose and return to Albuquerque. At the age of 90 he was still driving the motor home. He packed the motor home and drove it to Albuquerque and he continued to drive a car until he was 99. He bought a home in Rio Rancho where he was able to live alone in the beginning and later with the help of housekeepers and the vigilant care of his daughter, Grace, son-in-law, Jim and nephew, Lolo Chavez and his wife, Alvita.
His son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Ann visited him yearly to help him maintain the house and his well being. He remained in Rio Rancho until recently when he went to live at the Kingston Residence in Santa Fe near his daughter Grace and son-in-law Jim who faithfully cared for him until the end. Because he lived to be 102 he was frequently asked what his secret for longevity was and answer was, "Choose the right ancestors." He did nothing in particular to extend his life; he did not watch his diet, did not exercise, he smoked in his early years, etc., but apparently he had "good genes."
He felt he had lived a long time and had just weeks before told his family he was ready to meet his maker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, of 63 years in 1993, Mary Pelgia Gallegos Lucero; and sisters, Tela Chavez, Dora Clark, Bennie Soto, Beulah Garcia; and great-grandson, Jason Blattspieler. Fred is survived by his brother, Don Lucero; four children: Fred Jr.(Jolene) Lucero, and Steve (Ann) Lucero, live in San Jose, CA; Dolores (Ronald) Walters, live in Brentwood, CA, and Grace (Jim) Matthiessen, live in Santa Fe, NM. In addition he is survived by nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, all of whom live in California. In addition he is survived by a sister, Toni Angel, who currently lives in Austin, TX.
Fred was born in the Armijo area of Albuquerque where he grew up. He joined the Army at age 19 and was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, HI in the early 1920s. He married Mary Pelgia Gallegos from Bernalillo September 29, 1930. During World War II, he worked for Kirtland Air Force Base for two years.
He moved his family to Richmond, California, in 1943, when he took a job with Kaiser Industries building war ships. He continued to work in the steel industry after the end of the war, later ending his career working for the U.S. Navy at Mare Island, CA, where he retired at age 66. Fred lived in Vallejo, CA when he worked at Mare Island and later moved to San Jose, CA, to be closer to the children and grandchildren. Fred and Pelgia enjoyed their retirement years. They took long vacations driving around the country in a motor home.
He also visited Canada and Mexico in his motor home. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, and he maintained a vegetable garden wherever he could find a plot of dirt. We will miss him because he was kind, generous, supportive of his children's efforts, active in his church, and was a role model for living long. He never said, "I can't do that, I'm too old." No matter what it was, he was up to doing it. At age 80 he bought his first motorcycle. We all thought it was too dangerous but he felt it was time. He said that when he was young his mother would not let him get one, and later his wife would not let him get one, but now at age 80 it was time.
He enjoyed it for about three years and never once had an accident. After his wife Pelgia died he decided to leave San Jose and return to Albuquerque. At the age of 90 he was still driving the motor home. He packed the motor home and drove it to Albuquerque and he continued to drive a car until he was 99. He bought a home in Rio Rancho where he was able to live alone in the beginning and later with the help of housekeepers and the vigilant care of his daughter, Grace, son-in-law, Jim and nephew, Lolo Chavez and his wife, Alvita.
His son, Steven and daughter-in-law, Ann visited him yearly to help him maintain the house and his well being. He remained in Rio Rancho until recently when he went to live at the Kingston Residence in Santa Fe near his daughter Grace and son-in-law Jim who faithfully cared for him until the end. Because he lived to be 102 he was frequently asked what his secret for longevity was and answer was, "Choose the right ancestors." He did nothing in particular to extend his life; he did not watch his diet, did not exercise, he smoked in his early years, etc., but apparently he had "good genes."
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