- Date Of Birth: June 27, 1939
- Date Of Death: November 29, 2021
- State: New Mexico
“One day at a time.”
“Never get too tired, too hungry or too angry.”
Demetrio Jose Aragon left us on Tuesday, November 29, 2021 at the age of 82.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Manuelita Elvira, brother Eloy Aragon; sisters: Leonires (Marie) Sorensen and Gloria Lujan.
Demetrio is survived by his daughter Diana Aragon Mizusawa (Edward Mizusawa) of Albuquerque; grandchildren: Zachary Mizusawa, Allie Mizusawa, Chloe Mizusawa, Joshua Mizusawa; great grandson William Yoshi; sisters: Mary Torres and Prescilla McClendon.
He was a kind and devoted husband, father and grandfather who loved his family and had a robust, spirited and energetic outlook on life. He truly believed in having a good time and never passed up the chance to celebrate life.
He was born on June 27,1939 in the village of Ojitos Frios, New Mexico near Las Vegas, to Frances (Baca) Aragon and Pedro Aragon. He grew up in this area and was raised with his grandmother, Francesquita Salas, whom he adored. When he was 14, his grandmother passed away leaving a huge void in his life from which he felt he never truly recovered. He lived briefly with relatives in Colorado Springs, but as soon as he was of age, he convinced his mother to sign a waiver allowing him to join the Navy. At age 17 he was on the other side of the world on the Naval Ship, the USS Sussex. In later years we learned that he was an “Atomic Veteran,” having been deployed to the Pacific Proving Grounds during the cold war where the US was conducting nuclear tests. He also spent time stationed in Japan and the Philippines where he fell in love with the culture and the people. He was discharged from the Navy in 1960 and returned home to New Mexico and soon met the girl of his dreams in a dance hall. He often recalled the story of seeing a beautiful woman with a petticoat dress who had gorgeous almond eyes like the women in Asia. She was Manuelita Elvira. He said he decided she was woman he was absolutely going to marry – and he did! They were married in 1961 and in 1962 had a daughter Diana Marie.
A turning point in his life came about when after a few years of marriage, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous. Through A.A. he obtained sobriety and was active in the program for the next several decades, helping many others obtain sobriety by being their sponsor. He remained sober for the rest of his life, a total of 56 years.
He went to school on the GI bill and obtained a degree in accounting and worked for the Veterans Administration for 30 years. After retirement he worked as a car salesman where his personable and social nature made him one of the top people in sales. He and his wife “Elvie” emphasized the importance of higher education, and together they helped their young daughter and her husband in their endeavors to get college degrees. His four grandchildren also went on to get college educations.
Throughout his life he was a giving person, helping with his grandchildren and offering help to family members in time of need. He loved to go camping, hunting and fishing and spent much time in the Las Vegas area where he grew up. He and Elvie loved to travel, dance and listen to live music. He enrolled in art classes after retirement and was an avid painter of New Mexico landscapes and memories of his home growing up. In 2001 after 40 years of marriage, the love of his live, Elvie passed away after a brief illness. He continued to work for a short time and then retired permanently. He remained single until the time of his death.
In 1999 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which he lived with admirably, rarely complaining, and continuing to do as much as he could independently. During the last six months of his life, he went into the Palmilla Assisted Living facility in Albuquerque where he quickly made many friends and was well liked for his feistiness and quirky sense of humor. He was known for cruising the living center with his IPad on the seat of his walker blasting his favorite Spanish and Country Western tunes.
He was extremely proud of his grandchildren and bragged about them constantly. He valued his extended family and kept in touch with everyone as often as he could.
We will all miss him dearly.
Demetrio was laid to rest on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at Sunset Memorial Park.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to those who offered love, friendship and support especially during the later part of his life when his Parkinson’s was advanced. It meant the world to him.
