David Salazar

David Lee Salazar, 75, died surrounded by his family on December 19, 2024, at the Community Living Center at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, just two weeks after being diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer. 

Born November 16, 1949, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Eduardo and Mary Salazar, David lived most of his youth in Loveland, CO with his seven siblings. He developed a strong work ethic and a commitment to family while assisting his father, who was a mason and a contractor, and perfecting his cooking skills in his mother’s Mexican restaurant, El Ricardo. David graduated from Loveland High School in 1967 and in 1973, enlisted in the United States Navy where he served two tours in the Vietnam War. Upon returning home, he briefly worked at Hewlett Packard where he met the love of his life, Debra. They wed in 1977 at St. John’s Catholic Church and raised three daughters who were his pride and joy. 

As a distributor for Kirby Vacuums, David and his family lived in Jefferson, SD, Sioux City, IA, and Omaha, NE before moving to Santa Fe, NM in 1995. After retiring in 2009, David moved to Albuquerque, NM. His pastimes included gardening, cooking for friends and family, traveling, taking walks through his Old Town neighborhood with his dog, Lucy, and doting on his three grandchildren. David loved the Denver Broncos, The New Mexico Lobos and huevos rancheros with red chile. His outgoing personality and generous spirit will forever live on in the hearts and memories of the many people he touched throughout his life. 

David is survived in death by his wife of 48 years, Debra (Kuntz) Salazar, his three daughters, their spouses, and his three grandchildren: Jessica and Ben Salazar-Chatt, Anita Salazar and Miqueas Celote, granddaughter Sofia Celote, Sarah (Salazar) and Ruben Olguin and grandchildren Mila and Lorenzo Olguin. He also leaves behind his siblings: Cecilia (Salazar) Garcia, Richard Salazar, Duane Salazar, and Debbie (Salazar) Garcia. He is preceded in death by his parents Eduardo and Mary Salazar and his siblings, Ed Salazar, Marcela (Salazar) Cañas and Jessie Salazar. 

David will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at the Santa Fe National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM. A celebration of life gathering for friends and family will be held in New Mexico in the spring of 2025, details to follow later.