Ambrose J. Mascareñas

Early on the morning of February 7, 2024, Ambrose J. Mascareñas, 85, of Llano/Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away with his beloved wife, Mary, at his side and surrounded by his family. Moments after our daddy, grandfather, and great grandfather departed for his eternal resting place, rain, snow, and hail began to fall. For two minutes Ambrose sent a message to all gathered that he was at home, in peace, and no longer suffering. 

Born on June 21, 1938, to Juan Bautista Mascareñas and Simonita Sisneros Mascareñas of Placita, Taos County, New Mexico, Ambrose attended grade school in Vadito, New Mexico. He also attended St. Mary’s in Albuquerque, High School in Toole, Utah, and returned to graduate from Peñasco High School.  

One fateful day in junior high school, he saw a beautiful young girl with flowing dark brown hair and brown eyes named Mary Trujillo. She caught his eye. Soon after, he began to send handwritten notes to her through his cousin Roger. Thus, began a courtship that would blossom into a special bond between two exemplary people that lasted 73 years. Ambrose joined ROTC his junior year while living in Utah, and enlisted with the United States Army Reserves, and later served six years in the New Mexico National Guard.  

His lifelong adventure with Mary began when they were married on September 27, 1958, at San Antonio de Padua Church in Peñasco. In their early years, Ambrose had various jobs beginning at the Albuquerque Police Department in the Records Division as an ID Clerk, and worked part-time for Horn Oil and Gas Company, later moving to Grants, New Mexico, where he became a police officer with the Grants Police Department. He then went on to work in the Uranium Mines in Grants where he worked alongside many close friends that he stayed in contact with even after the mines closed. Throughout his life, he continued working in various mines in Questa, New Mexico; Mercury, Nevada; and, La Guajira, Colombia, South America. In 1963, Ambrose and Mary returned to their beloved Llano, New Mexico after buying the ranch from Mary’s parents. Ambrose worked the land for many years, producing hay, alfalfa, raising cattle, riding his horses, working with his backhoe wherever needed, bringing wood from the mountains, irrigating, fixing fences, branding cattle with his family and friends, and more.  He loved being outside and ranching. Ambrose was a hard-working man that never stayed idle. 

With a deep commitment and passion for helping his community, he worked jobs that built the infrastructure of Northern New Mexico such as the Azotea Project (Chama Tunnels), Nambe Dam, and Abiquiu Dam. As a carpenter’s union member, he helped construct the La Jicarita Gymnasium and Las Casitas housing in Peñasco.  He was also one of the founders of the Peñasco High School Athletic Booster Club. 

The youngest of seven children, Ambrose loved his brothers and sisters, would often get to visit them, and even lived with his oldest sisters before he got married. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his dad, brothers, sons, youngest daughter, sons-in-law, nephews, grandchildren, and many friends. He was a storyteller, and his family loved hearing about his adventures after each outing. His guitar was never far from his side. He loved playing and singing at family events, community events, and church functions. A radiant smile and an infectious laugh greeted everyone; he was always joking.  

Throughout his life, Ambrose served his church and community in various roles. As an activity school bus driver for the Peñasco Independent School District, he supported the Peñasco kids by cheering them on and making sure the bus was always warm, ready, safe, and clean for them when it was time to travel. In 1972, New Mexico Governor Bruce King appointed him as the Justice of the Peace for Southern Taos County. In 1974, Ambrose was elected as a Taos County Magistrate Judge, a role he served for 14 years. For 22 years, he served on the Kit Carson Electric Cooperative Board. He also served as the Taos County Jail Administrator. 

In 1988, Ambrose served as Taos County Manager where he worked with the Taos County Board of Commissioners to obtain funding to build the current Holy Cross Hospital. Ambrose together with his wife, participated in various levels of politics, acequias and the Cursillo’s of Christianity, Pilgrimage for Vocations, and Weekends of Christian Living with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Ambrose was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 13106 at San Antonio de Padua Parish, where he completed training to become a Fourth Degree Knight, and was elected to serve as an advocate for many years. In 2015 and 2019, he was selected to receive the “Family of the Year Award” from The Knights of Columbus Headquarters in New Haven Connecticut. 

Ambrose loved his family deeply. He enjoyed spending time singing, laughing, dancing, and enjoying life with his five children, eight grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren. He is survived by his wife:  Mary, his children: Bruce (Elaine); Antonette; Yolanda (Steve); Ronald (Liza); and Jessica (Patrick), plus our exchange student daughter from the Philippines, Gigi de la Torre. His grandchildren: Valentin (Aliyah); Heather (James); Sasha (partner Joseph); Ashley (George); Jasmine (Kate); Dominique (Zachary); Jordyn (partner Logan); Angelique (partner Marcos). His great grandchildren: Illijah, Ava, Chaz, Alina, Mireya, Carissa, Alejandro, Jocelynn, Ezekiel, Koda, Minnie, Maeve, Millie, Mason, Annie, Cruz, Sophia, Owen, Kye and Nemo.  He also had two loveable companion grand-pups whom he loved dearly:  Rocco and Axl.   Ambrose is also survived by his sister-in-law, Eleanor G. Trujillo and brother-in-law, Cecil Lea, as well as many nieces and nephews that loved him dearly.

Ambrose had a strong faith, and he prayed daily with his wife. They always prayed for one another, sick relatives, friends, their families, and all the loved ones who had gone before them. He is preceded in death by his parents: Juan Bautista Mascareñas, and Simonita Sisneros Mascareñas; his siblings:  Apolonio, Alfonso, Cipriano, Fabiola, his beloved pet:  Fluffy, and his shadow grand-pup:  Coco. He leaves behind a beloved sister, Ophelia, and brother, Candido, with whom he was able to spend precious moments on his final days. De Colores! 

Services are as follows:

 Monday, February 19^th, Viewing, at 4pm, Rosary to follow, San Antonio de Padua Catholic Church, State Road 75, Peñasco, New Mexico 87553 

Tuesday, February 20^th,  Rosary to begin at 1:00 pm Celebration of Life Mass at 2pm, St. Jude’s Catholic Church, 5712 Paradise Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM  87114 

Wednesday, February 21, Procession will Leave Albuquerque at 9:30am from Trujillo Funeral home, 110 Alvarado Dr. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 to the Santa Fe National Cemetery

Wednesday, February 21, Meet at 10:30 am, Burial, 11:00 am, Final Resting Place, Santa Fe National Cemetery, 501 N. Guadalupe St., Santa Fe, NM  87501 

Wednesday February 21, 12 Noon, Meal after Burial, Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Church Hall, 11 College Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87508  

The Mascareñas Family wishes to thank all of you for your help and prayers.

Arrangement have been entrusted to the caring professionals of 

Trujillo Family Funeral Home

"Our Family Serving Yours"