- Date Of Birth: December 30, 1924
- Date Of Death: October 2, 2022
- State: New Mexico
Eliu “Blue” “EJ” Vigil, age 97, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family, on Sunday, October 2nd, 2022. He was born in Ranchos de Taos, NM in 1924 to Domitila and Juan Nepomuceno Vigil and was a brother to 11 siblings. Eliu moved to Albuquerque where he met Helen Gallegos, the love of his life, to whom he was married for 67 years.
Eliu graduated from Menaul High School as Valedictorian and was recently inducted into the Menaul HS Sports Hall of Fame in football, basketball, and track. A graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Engineering, Eliu went on to work as a civil engineer for the State of New Mexico and the BIA until his retirement. Eliu was also a proud veteran and served his country as a Master Sergeant in the US Army Air Corps, 1942-1946. He was an avid golfer and loved to play with family members at UNM North. EJ was also a particularly great jokester making those around him laugh, especially with his snide remarks. He was fortunate to travel across the globe, always looking for the highest point he could, thus his motto of “The higher we rise, the broader the view.”
Eliu is preceded in death by daughter, Barbara Jean, and six siblings: Bences, George, Reuben, Joe Amadeo, Francis, and Loyola. He is survived by his loving wife, Helen Gallegos Vigil, his children: Trish Tilley (Jim), Susan MacEachen (Tim), Daniel Vigil, Thomas Vigil (Randy), and Ronald Vigil (Donna), along with their grandchildren Erin Belger Cox (Andrew), Sarah Belger Murtaugh (Scott), Brandon MacEachen, Alyx Tilley, Eric Tilley, and Ethan Vigil. Eliu and Helen also have 4 great grandchildren, Eayn and Joliette Cox: Olson and Max Murtaugh. Eliu is also survived by siblings Teresa Lopez, Loren Brooks, Eliza Naranjo, John Vigil (Anna), and Jeanette Romero, along with many nieces and nephews.
A husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend, Eliu will be missed by all who knew him. Special thanks to Dottie and Tina for spiritual and palliative care, as well as Hospice of New Mexico.
