Raymundo "Ray" Vigil

VIGIL, RAYMUNDO (RAY) was born on September 23, 1918 in the small village of Arroyo Hondo in Northern New Mexico.  He was the last child, and only surviving son of his parents, Jose Maria Vigil and Viviana Herrera de Vigil.  His five sisters and their husbands preceded him in death.  He was blessed with 32 nieces and nephews.

Ray spent his early life in Arroyo Hondo but during the Depression had to  travel to Colorado, Utah and Wyoming to work as a laborer on sheep and cattle ranches.  When Franklin Roosevelt instituted the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC)  and the Works Progress Administration  (WPA), Dad felt blessed to participate in both.  He became a life-long Democrat because he never forgot the hardships of poverty. 

Ray married Gloria Gallegos in September 1940.  In 1941 his daughter, Rosalie was born.  In 1943, the family moved to Bingham, UT where Ray worked in a copper mine until he was drafted in August, 1944.  He took Gloria and Rosalie back to Arroyo Hondo.  He was stationed in Honolulu the remainder of  WWII.  He returned to Arroyo Hondo after the War.

In 1946 the family moved to Denver where he began working at the Gates Rubber Company.  He worked there for 33 years retiring in September, 1979.  Many times he said that he hoped all the Gates family was in heaven because they had provided him and thousands others with a good job and benefits.

Ray and Gloria bought their home in Englewood in 1952.  They lived there until Mom due to illness moved to a total-care facility in 2007.  Dad moved in 2009 to the Gardens at St. Elizabeth.  He happily lived at The Gardens for over five years. 

Ray’s legacy to his family is the love and joy he derived from his immediate family as well as his extended family.   God blessed him with a long life and he was able to make necessary changes without hesitation or complaint.  He knew that life isn’t always what is hoped for but had the strength of heart and character to rise to each occasion.     

Ray is survived by wife, Gloria; daughter, Rosalie (Gerald) Martinez; granddaughter, Melissa (Peter) Lemke; grandson, Matthew (Cindy) Martinez; and granddaughter Annette Martinez. He had three great-grandchildren Amber, Stephen and Camille and great-great granddaughter, Haven.

His family will dearly miss Ray but are consoled because he lived independently until the last two weeks before he died.  He then  left this life peacefully and is at his eternal Home.  We have the blessed assurance because during his last two weeks of life, he often stated: “I hope today is the day my Lord comes for me.”  He was so ready!