Alex Luna

Alex Luna was born on October 3, 1945 in Tucumcari, New Mexico to Jose and Odilia Luna and died in Los Lunas, New Mexico on March 6, 2021. He is preceded in death by his parents and beloved brother Joe. He is survived by siblings Dolores, Luis (Yvonne), Ray (Kathy), Andy (Lorraine), multiple nieces and nephews, cousins, friends, and two honored family matriarchs, Aunt Maria Teresa and Aunt Justita. Although Alex was born in 1945, he embodied the spirit of an explorer, a hunter, and a gun slinging cowboy from 1845. As a young man, he was bold and fearless, always looking for new and daring adventures to share with his younger brothers. They enjoyed fishing for crawdads, swimming in irrigation ditches, savoring wild clover honey from honeycombs, and hunting for arrowheads. Proud of his 1951 Mercury, he was usually heading off to parts unknown with a carload of passengers looking for fun, excitement, and sometimes trouble. Alex played hard but also developed an extraordinarily high work ethic that remained with him throughout life. He was a passionate owner and breeder of pit bulls, enjoyed raising homing pigeons, cared for farm animals, caught the occasional rattlesnake, and became an avid collector of everything he deemed useful and valuable. He considered gardening to be one of the most fulfilling experiences of his life and worked tirelessly under the summer sun tending to his large array of vegetables and sweet melons.

In his 30's, Alex sustained severe burns at a job site while saving a co-worker from a butane explosion. Although his prognosis was dire, his grit was stronger, and he managed to defy the odds predicted by the medical staff on the burn unit. His recovery, including multiple skin grafts, was long and arduous, and was only hindered by his headstrong attempts to get back to his busy life. Again, he escaped death after a sickle was plunged deep into his abdomen during a fight. After surviving surgery and getting through the ensuing complications, he bounced back with greater determination than ever. Although life was not always kind to Alex, he remained a man of integrity, and never lost heart. Throughout all his trials and hardships, he clung to the faith of his childhood. His name, which means "defender of the people," sums up the spirit of a man who believed in God, the good of humanity, and in lending a helping hand to people in need. Alex, a man of his word, lived life to the fullest, was deeply loved, and will be greatly missed. Private family memorial planned.

But God shows his love for us in that while

we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:

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