Michael Alarid Sr. - Albuquerque Journal - August 06, 2007

Senator Michael Alarid Sr., "Tata," age 88, passed from this world peacefully holding his family's hands, surrounded by people who adored him, Wednesday morning, August 1, 2007. He will be greeted in heaven by is beloved wife of 66 years, Stella, "Nana," who we lost this past January. He will also be greeted in heaven by his dear departed daughter, Renee; and granddaughter, Denise; mother Eutemia; and father, Victor. Tata is survived by his sister, Vangie, of Trinidad; children, Michael and wife, Barbara, Elizabeth and husband, Stephen, Estella, Luciana, and Celena; his grandchildren, Jason; his wife, Chevonne, Michelle, their mother, Susan, Vanessa, Roberto, Renee, Tara, and Michael III; and great grandchildren, Renee, Isaiah, Elizabeth, Gabriela, Angelica and Valdejan.

Tata was born March 13, 1919 in Trinidad, Colorado. He grew to have an unequaled work ethic, surviving the great depression in the Colorado Rockies, working as a lumber jack and in the coal mines, amongst many other jobs, that ultimately shaped him into the giant spirit that sheltered and nurtured his entire family. Graduating high school at the top of his class, at nineteen, he set off to make his future, with only a duffel bag, stopping along the way to California, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Before Tata was able to get on his way, a young, beautiful Stella Salazar, "Nana," stopped him in his tracks, and the rest was history. They married just to be soon split apart. Tata enlisted and spent WWII in the United States Navy, in the Pacific, with Nana waiting in San Diego. After the war, they returned to Albuquerque to raise a family. Ultimately, he opened an insurance agency and opened Mike's Food Store at 4th and Atlantic in the Barelas neighborhood, which survived from 1952 to 1985. Working seven day 100 hour, work weeks, he built "Mike's" into the number one independent grocery store west of the Mississippi river by the end of the 1950's. He was physically formidable and imposing. It was common to see him with an entire side of beef over one shoulder, then butchering it by hand. He was tough as nails, and more than a few would be shoplifters regretted seeing Mike charging down the isle from the back of the store. But just ask, and he would give you the shirt off his back. Every Christmas, he prepared food boxes for two to three hundred of Barelas, Martinez Town and San Jose families. Every "egg" box was filled, over flowing with food. Each had a frozen turkey and canned ham as well as assorted essentials like bread, pasta, eggs, potatoes, bacon and flour, and canned goods. He extended credit to hundreds of low income, local families. He established trusted relationships with those whom the establishment shunned, and boasted, after 39 years in business, only $430.00 in uncollected credit accounts receivables. But that was not enough. Tata had a resolute sense of ethics and civic responsibility that drove him into public service and politics. He served on numerous civic and professional boards, and with non-profit organizations. He was an American Legion Post 72 commander, and State Commander, and active in the VFW and Elks. He was a champion for education, worker and middle class rights, and a criminal justice system with a focus on vocational rehabilitation, and tax relief for the poor, and the environment. Politically, Tata hit the ground running and never looked back. He served in the New Mexico House of Representatives, District 25, from 1964 to 1966. In 1966, he took the Senate seat for District 34, where he served until 1972. In 1968, he ran for Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Fabian Chavez, losing by 160,140 to 157,230 votes, state wide. In 1972, he then gave up his Senate seat to run for United States Congress unsuccessfully against incumbent, Manuel Lujan, Jr. In 1974 he ran for Mayor, endorsed by both the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune. He returned to the New Mexico State Senate for District 12, and served for an additional 22 years until 1992. During it all, he managed to get a bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico and attend two years of law school, leaving only when his son attended Creighton University, and, of course, to run for office again. During his tenure in the Senate, he championed the founding of TV-I, the UNM medical school, the Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Public schools Finance Act, and early retirement for police and fire at 20 years, considering these his greatest accomplishments. For eight years, he was Senate Democratic Leader/Majority Floor Leader from 1981-1988. He stayed up late at night and read every piece of legislation three times and re-wrote his speeches 10 times. His reputation for work ethic, knowledge, eloquence, and integrity was legendary at the round house. He was never unprepared, and his hand shake was as good as gold. He brokered ground breaking legislation, creating compromise, across party lines, from logic and intellect, instead of brute force. After closing Mike's Super Market, his retirement consisted of working full time for TV-I as Community Liaison, and then, Assistant to the Vice President of Administration, where he continued to champion education. Finally deciding to come home at 77, Tata became the consummate softie, relishing in his garden, eating Nana's famous red chili, and rejoicing over family and his children, grand children, and great grand children, as the most important things in life. He continued to love to follow and gossip about politics, always with an astute opinion and solution. In the end, Nana's leaving broke his heart. Thank God he now has found peace. The shadow you leave is gigantic. You and Nana were so loved, and we will miss you.

The family will receive friends and loved ones beginning at 7:00 P.M. Monday, August 6, 2007 at The Daniels Family Funeral Service (formerly Strong-Thorne Mortuary), 1100 Coal Ave. SE and will celebrate his life with a Rosary service beginning at 7:30 P.M. A Catholic mass will be held in his honor at Immaculate Conception Church in downtown Albuquerque at Sixth and Copper, Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. The public is welcome at both services. Daniels Family Funeral Service 7601 Wyoming Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505-821-0010

Michael Alarid Sr. - Albuquerque Journal - August 06, 2007

Senator Michael Alarid Sr., "Tata," age 88, passed from this world peacefully holding his family's hands, surrounded by people who adored him, Wednesday morning, August 1, 2007. He will be greeted in heaven by is beloved wife of 66 years, Stella, "Nana," who we lost this past January. He will also be greeted in heaven by his dear departed daughter, Renee; and granddaughter, Denise; mother Eutemia; and father, Victor. Tata is survived by his sister, Vangie, of Trinidad; children, Michael and wife, Barbara, Elizabeth and husband, Stephen, Estella, Luciana, and Celena; his grandchildren, Jason; his wife, Chevonne, Michelle, their mother, Susan, Vanessa, Roberto, Renee, Tara, and Michael III; and great grandchildren, Renee, Isaiah, Elizabeth, Gabriela, Angelica and Valdejan.

Tata was born March 13, 1919 in Trinidad, Colorado. He grew to have an unequaled work ethic, surviving the great depression in the Colorado Rockies, working as a lumber jack and in the coal mines, amongst many other jobs, that ultimately shaped him into the giant spirit that sheltered and nurtured his entire family. Graduating high school at the top of his class, at nineteen, he set off to make his future, with only a duffel bag, stopping along the way to California, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Before Tata was able to get on his way, a young, beautiful Stella Salazar, "Nana," stopped him in his tracks, and the rest was history. They married just to be soon split apart. Tata enlisted and spent WWII in the United States Navy, in the Pacific, with Nana waiting in San Diego. After the war, they returned to Albuquerque to raise a family. Ultimately, he opened an insurance agency and opened Mike's Food Store at 4th and Atlantic in the Barelas neighborhood, which survived from 1952 to 1985. Working seven day 100 hour, work weeks, he built "Mike's" into the number one independent grocery store west of the Mississippi river by the end of the 1950's. He was physically formidable and imposing. It was common to see him with an entire side of beef over one shoulder, then butchering it by hand. He was tough as nails, and more than a few would be shoplifters regretted seeing Mike charging down the isle from the back of the store. But just ask, and he would give you the shirt off his back. Every Christmas, he prepared food boxes for two to three hundred of Barelas, Martinez Town and San Jose families. Every "egg" box was filled, over flowing with food. Each had a frozen turkey and canned ham as well as assorted essentials like bread, pasta, eggs, potatoes, bacon and flour, and canned goods. He extended credit to hundreds of low income, local families. He established trusted relationships with those whom the establishment shunned, and boasted, after 39 years in business, only $430.00 in uncollected credit accounts receivables. But that was not enough. Tata had a resolute sense of ethics and civic responsibility that drove him into public service and politics. He served on numerous civic and professional boards, and with non-profit organizations. He was an American Legion Post 72 commander, and State Commander, and active in the VFW and Elks. He was a champion for education, worker and middle class rights, and a criminal justice system with a focus on vocational rehabilitation, and tax relief for the poor, and the environment. Politically, Tata hit the ground running and never looked back. He served in the New Mexico House of Representatives, District 25, from 1964 to 1966. In 1966, he took the Senate seat for District 34, where he served until 1972. In 1968, he ran for Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Fabian Chavez, losing by 160,140 to 157,230 votes, state wide. In 1972, he then gave up his Senate seat to run for United States Congress unsuccessfully against incumbent, Manuel Lujan, Jr. In 1974 he ran for Mayor, endorsed by both the Albuquerque Journal and Tribune. He returned to the New Mexico State Senate for District 12, and served for an additional 22 years until 1992. During it all, he managed to get a bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico and attend two years of law school, leaving only when his son attended Creighton University, and, of course, to run for office again. During his tenure in the Senate, he championed the founding of TV-I, the UNM medical school, the Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Public schools Finance Act, and early retirement for police and fire at 20 years, considering these his greatest accomplishments. For eight years, he was Senate Democratic Leader/Majority Floor Leader from 1981-1988. He stayed up late at night and read every piece of legislation three times and re-wrote his speeches 10 times. His reputation for work ethic, knowledge, eloquence, and integrity was legendary at the round house. He was never unprepared, and his hand shake was as good as gold. He brokered ground breaking legislation, creating compromise, across party lines, from logic and intellect, instead of brute force. After closing Mike's Super Market, his retirement consisted of working full time for TV-I as Community Liaison, and then, Assistant to the Vice President of Administration, where he continued to champion education. Finally deciding to come home at 77, Tata became the consummate softie, relishing in his garden, eating Nana's famous red chili, and rejoicing over family and his children, grand children, and great grand children, as the most important things in life. He continued to love to follow and gossip about politics, always with an astute opinion and solution. In the end, Nana's leaving broke his heart. Thank God he now has found peace. The shadow you leave is gigantic. You and Nana were so loved, and we will miss you.

The family will receive friends and loved ones beginning at 7:00 P.M. Monday, August 6, 2007 at The Daniels Family Funeral Service (formerly Strong-Thorne Mortuary), 1100 Coal Ave. SE and will celebrate his life with a Rosary service beginning at 7:30 P.M. A Catholic mass will be held in his honor at Immaculate Conception Church in downtown Albuquerque at Sixth and Copper, Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. The public is welcome at both services. Daniels Family Funeral Service 7601 Wyoming Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505-821-0010