Eugene Sanchez

A. Eugene Sanchez, born to Joe A. Sanchez and Mary L. Sanchez in Taos NM in 1935, Gene passed away peacefully on May 11, 2019. He’s now with his beloved wife Julienne Cuikowski Sanchez and his mother and father, Mary and Joe. During Gene’s life, the husband, father and grandfather, who attended Central Catholic School became the first Taos High grad (1949) to take his license as an architect (Nevada 1961, New Mexico, 1962). He graduated from Chicago Tech with an engineering degree in 1959. He and Ben Benson started the Taos Architects in 1962 and he designed public schools, government buildings, and private homes throughout New Mexico. As a member of the National Guard (1953-54) Gene did international undercover surveillance work in Juarez during the leftist insurrection (unofficial) and later trained officers (official) as engineers at Fort Belvedere, Maryland. After thirty-three years he retired from architecture and with Julienne, managed Gallery A, started in 1962 by his mother Mary and a group of artists. He authored the two-volume hardcover edition of the Gene Kloss raisonne’ with 482 of Kloss's 627 catalogued images, plus many rare uncatalogued prints, sketches, and notes, spanning 1924 to 1985. Gene served on the Town of Taos Planning and Zoning Committee and on the Town of Taos town council. In a previous life Gene served as Gil Archuleta’s right-hand man at La Cocina and during retirement as an activist, and past vice-president of the El Prado Chicano Chamber of Commerce of which he was a founding member. Gene is survived by his three sons, Cory Sanchez, James Sanchez (Veronica) and Zack Grey (aka Benjamin Sanchez). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Michael, Jason, Joseph and Samantha Sanchez, daughter-in-law Lorena, Prima Pauline Martinez and many cousins, as well as sisters in law, Lee Ciukowski and Jo Anne Sandquist, house pups, Roxy and Olive. Gene is at peace. He will be missed by his family and his friends. A memorial service will be held Saturday June 15, 2019. Location to be announced. Interment with military honors will take place at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.