- Date Of Birth: July 16, 1982
- Date Of Death: July 6, 2017
- State: New Mexico
Joseph Moncayo of Roswell, NM made his last stand and gave this world his final salute on July 06, 2017 at the age of 34. A proud Marine, he was born to Rita Moncayo on July 16, 1982 in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
Joseph and his family made their way to Roswell in 1991 from Santa Rosa. Even as a boy, Joseph loved the water. Leaving behind the Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, he made himself at home at Bottomless Lakes in Roswell where he would swim for hours often alone. In 2000, Joseph made the decision to become a United States Marine serving as an Assault Amphibious Vehicle Repairer/Technician. He spent 8 years in the service and was proud of every moment. He saw the world from Hawaii to the Philippines, and Japan to Australia. He was stationed at many of the world’s most beautiful places and spent his time serving on Navy ships. Joseph honored his country and family by serving heroically during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, in an area of high intensity and extreme hostile enemy action.
After Joseph left the Marines, he made the decision to become an Underwater Welder and Medic Diver; both an exciting and treacherous job. In June of 2008, he became a certified Air/Mixed Gas Commercial Diver from the Commercial Diving Academy in Florida. He would fondly recount stories of barracudas swimming by, leviathans of the deep, fish the size of a man swimming around him as he worked underwater in Louisiana. When Joseph returned to New Mexico, he attended ENMU-R, where he became certified in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. Joseph was a jokester and showed love to his family through quick wit and disarming humor. His twin brother Matthew was the victim of this on many occasions, especially when meeting new people. Joseph would begin the introductions with a lightening quick draw letting people know that he was the good looking twin while Matthew, in his words, was the ugly one. He was close to his mother, siblings, nieces, nephews and significant other and daughter. Joseph was the life humor of the family.
Joseph loved to go shooting, fishing, scuba diving and sky diving. His life isn’t summed up in these hobbies or past times. He loved serving in the Marines, and it is a part of his story, but this too does not quantify his life. His legacy will be to his family; to the years of unwavering loyalty and support to them; to the moments of laughter and smiles and even the moments of seemingly impassable pain. The legacy will be his love which will never tarnish or fade from their hearts. His legacy is the unconditional adoration of a brother, son, uncle and significant other.
Joseph is survived by his mother Rita Moncayo; twin brother Matthew Moncayo; sisters Audrey Lara and Georgia Moncayo; nieces Sandra Lara and Marisa Moncayo; nephews Javier Lara and Malachi Moncayo; girlfriend Tanya Montoya and her daughter Iyanna; and his much loved four-legged companion, Bella. He is preceded in death by his grandparents Andres and Adelina Moncayo, aunt Olympia Sharp and brother Juan Moncayo.
