IN MEMORIAM
Wednesday, January 1, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN
Continued from Page B-1 New Mexico was a shock. “I couldn’t believe Santa Fe was the capital of the state,” he said in Melnick’s book. “We had county seats back East bigger than Santa Fe.” But Los Alamos seemed to grow on him. He recalled that to make some extra money, he would collect tickets at dances, and people attending often would slip him a sip of their liquor. “I think they felt sorry for me,” he said. “I had a pretty good time before the dance.” When he was released from the Army in 1947, Boone joined the lab as a civilian explosives technician. After retiring in 1977, he was a Red Cross swimming instructor in Los Alamos for 17 years.
David Cargo, 84, former governor, July 5 David F. Cargo, governor of New Mexico from January 1967 through 1970, was a moderate Republican and often at odds with members of his own party. He got his nickname, “Lonesome Dave,” from a sheepherder he met one day in 1966 along a muddy, rural road when he was touring the state in his 1959 Chevrolet. A newspaperman who was with Cargo wrote about the encounter, and the nickname stuck. “He was so underestimated, so under-appreciated and so forward-thinking,” said Albuquerque City Councilor Janice Arnold-Jones, a former legislator who knew Cargo for more than 45 years. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1962 and served two terms. Dennis Domrzalski wrote that in the Legislature, Cargo “railed loudly and publicly against corruption in a state that seemed to think that corruption was perfectly normal. He introduced bills that demanded that state legislators actually report the bribes they had taken. He threatened to pave state roads with corrupt highway commissioners.” Cargo was elected governor in 1966 and again in 1968, defeating Democrat Fabian Chavez, who also died in 2013. Cargo created the state Human Rights Commission, started the first state film office and even appeared in a few movies himself, including a role as a reporter in the 1969 Robert Mitchum western The Good Guys and the Bad Guys. His years as governor came during the political turmoil of the late 1960s. He was chief executive in June 1967 when land-grant activist Reies Lopez Tijerina and the Alianza Federal de Mercedes raided the Tierra Amarilla courthouse. He was governor in May 1970 when the National Guard was called to The University of New Mexico and soldiers began bayoneting student protesters, journalists and passers-by during a Vietnam War demonstration. He ran for the Senate in 1970 and again in 1972, when his opponent was Pete Domenici, who won the general election.
Mary Lou Cook, 95, artist, minister, peace activist, Oct. 7 Interviewed on her 95th birthday at the Beehive retirement home, where she had been living for four years, Mary Lou Cook said, “My advice is to be kind, be kind, be kind. Everyone has a choice as to what their attention is going to be, and I chose peace, harmony and helping people.” Born in an elevator at a Chicago hospital on April 29, 1918, Cook earned a degree in fine art from the University of Kansas in 1939. Her husband’s job meant the couple and their children moved often — El Paso; Tulsa, Okla.; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee and Des Moines, Iowa. She started doing volunteer work in El Paso and Kansas City, where she studied calligraphy. In Milwaukee, Cook helped to start an arts program for children. In Des Moines, she was a recruiter for the newly formed Peace Corps in 1962. In 1966, she was sent to Omaha, Neb., to organize a Peace Corps office there. In 1969, after her husband retired, the family moved to Santa Fe, and Cook threw herself into creative pursuits. She began to teach a continuing education class at the College of Santa Fe in calligraphy and “pastecraft” — covering solid objects, like bottles, books or even trees, with decorative fabric. Cook helped found the Dispensable Church with the late Hugh Prather (author of Notes to Myself) in the early 1980s, and a few years later became a minister and bishop in the Eternal Life Church, a network of independent ministers through which she married dozens of couples. In 1984, she founded the Santa Fe Living Treasures program, modeled on Japanese traditions of honoring local elders each year, and lobbied unsuc-
Mary Lou Cook
cessfully for state and federal departments of peace.
Dan Gerrity
the mid-1980s, he was president of the First National Bank of Santa Fe. Republican Gov. Garrey CarFabian Chávez, 88, ruthers appointed Dendahl to politician, Jan. the State Investment Council. Later, Carruthers hired him as 21 secretary of the state Economic Fabian Chávez Development and Tourism Jr., a well-known Department. member of a Dendahl ran for governor Northern New in 1994 but lost to political Mexico family and a longtime newcomer Gary Johnson, who Democratic Party politician, had went on to win the general eleca “contagious” enthusiasm for tion that year. That same year, life and “a deep affection for Dendahl was elected as state New Mexico,” said his biograRepublican Party chairman, a pher, David Roybal of Cundiyó, position he held until 2003. adding, “We can never have too Though Dendahl lost his final many people like Fabian.” bid for the party chairmanship “I was a free spirit,” he told in 2003, three years later he Roybal in his 2008 biography, became the GOP’s candidate for Taking on Giants: Fabian Chavez governor against incumbent Bill Jr. and New Mexico Politics. “I Richardson. He lost in a landwas curious. Instead of going slide and later moved to Coloto school, I’d go around town. rado with his wife. But I’d usually spend my time productively, even if it was just Gloria collecting cardboard boxes.” Donadello, Almost a year before the 87, activist, United States entered World March 14 War II, Chávez, 16, and seven Local activist, friends lied about their ages and academic and signed each others’ parentalopera supporter consent forms to enlist in the Gloria Donadello Army. He eventually headed spent time as a professor of for Europe with the 153rd Field social work at both Florida State Artillery Battalion as forward and Fordham universities. She observer in the Battle of Noreventually migrated to Santa mandy and the Battle of the Fe in 1991 with her late partner, Bulge. Sarah Barber. Upon his return to New Donadello founded a numMexico, Chávez, who had not ber of charities and advocacy yet finished the 10th grade, got his GED certificate through New groups for the LGBTQ community in Santa Fe, such as the Mexico Highlands University. Lesbian and Gay Community In 1948, the 24-year-old Funding Partnership, now known Chávez made his first run at elected office in the Democratic as the Santa Fe Community primary for the House of Repre- Foundation’s Envision Fund, and Hope House, a hospice for those sentatives and came in second. Two years later, he ran again for with HIV. Donadello also played a role the same position. This time, he in the founding of SAGE, or Serwon both the primary and the vices & Advocacy for Gay, Lesgeneral election. bian, Bisexual and Transgender In 1952, Chávez challenged Elders (formerly Senior Action in the incumbent Republican in a Gay Environment.) the state Senate race. He had Honey Ward, a friend and no opposition in the primary, caretaker of Donadello, said but lost in the general election. Donadello was always ready to Four years later, the Republican crack a joke or talk to others resigned, so Chávez again took a shot at the Senate seat. He ran despite her health issues. “She against six other hopefuls in the had that kind of energy to her that strangers would come and Democratic primary, winning by 22 votes, and went on to win up introduce themselves,” Ward said. “She was always ready the general election. He was for a good time, and she didn’t re-elected several times by his want to leave until the party was mid-30s, becoming the youngover.” est Senate majority leader in Donadello also had an abiding state history. love for Buddhism and until the In 1964, Chávez declined to seek another term in the Senate, end of her life went to the Upaya setting his sights instead on the Zen Center every Wednesday. U.S. House of Representatives, Gail Factor, but lost the primary to Johnny 70, artist, Walker. In 1968, he took aim at July 16 the Governor’s Office, winning the primary but losing the genThe artist Gail eral election to Republican David Factor painted Cargo. In 1970, he ran again for abstract landthe U.S. House of Representascapes, many tives, winning the primary, but of them depictlosing the general election to ing the faraway horizon, planes Republican Manuel Lujan Jr. of earth and sky separated by Chávez laid low after that color and rendered in sweeping string of defeats, taking a posibrushstrokes that extend across tion as the state insurance direc- the canvas. tor. After Jimmy Carter won the She studied painting at the presidency in 1976, he appointed Chicago Art Institute when she Chávez as an assistant secretary was just 5 years old and went on of the U.S. Commerce Departto get a BFA from the University ment, specializing in promoting of Southern California, complete tourism. a fellowship in fine arts at Yale Chávez’s last try at public University and study art and office came in 1982, when he architecture in Europe. She first ran for governor of New Mexico came to Santa Fe in 1989, partly in a crowded primary field of for workshops at the Santa Fe Democrats. The winner, former Art Institute, and relocated here Attorney General Toney Anaya, permanently in the early ’90s. went on to win the general elecFactor was active in the tion. Chávez worked as a consul- Church of the Holy Faith, where tant to Anaya and served on the she loved singing in the choir. board of the Public Employees She also enjoyed gardening Retirement Association. (both flowers and vegetables) and was part of a garden club John Dendahl, 75, GOP here in Santa Fe. She was a Party chairman, Nov. 9 board member of Canticum Former state Republican Party Novum, a local choral and instrumental ensemble, and was chairman and one-time GOP a supporter of Cornerstones gubernatorial candidate John Community Partnerships, a Dendahl was born in Santa Fe nonprofit that works to restore and earned degrees in electrihistoric adobe buildings across cal engineering and business administration at the University the American West. of Colorado in Boulder. He was Kelly Garrett, 69, a member of the college’s ski singer, Aug. 7 team, which won two NCCA titles and was on the 1960 Kelly Garrett grew up in Santa U.S. Olympic Ski team. He was Fe singing at church, at school inducted into the University of and around her family home on Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame. Acequia Madre, before going In Santa Fe, Dendahl worked on to a career as a vocalist as an engineer for the Eberline on Broadway, television and Instrument Corp. in the 1960s records. and later became CEO of the She attended St. Francis company, which made radiation- Cathedral School and the monitoring instruments. Loretto Academy, then went on During an absence from Eber- to the College Conservatory of line in the mid-’60s, Dendahl Music in Cincinnati for a year served as chief financial officer before heading to Los Angeles, for the new St. John’s College. In where she worked for a bank
John Dendahl
during the day so she could sing in clubs at night. Fame came quickly. In 1964 and ‘65, Garrett appeared four times on the nationally syndicated television musical-variety program, Shindig. That was followed by appearances on Your Hit Parade, Headliners with David Frost, The Jim Nabors Show, The Dean Martin Comedy Hour, The Joey Bishop Show, Playboy After Dark and 29 turns on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In the 1970s, Garrett moved to New York to try her talents on Broadway. She won critical acclaim for her musical performances in Mother Earth (1972) and The Night That Made America Famous (1975), and she earned a Tony Award nomination for the latter. Although she never made a feature film, Garrett sang an Oscar-nominated song, “Richard’s Window” from The Other Side of the Mountain, at the 1976 Academy Awards ceremony.
Dan Gerrity, 59, KSFR news director, Nov. 20 Theater artist and KSFR news director Dan Gerrity was a New Jersey native who worked as a writer, director and actor in theater on the East and West Coasts before settling in Santa Fe. He served as a member of the Santa Fe Playhouse board of directors and oversaw the theater’s popular Benchwarmers series of one-act plays. Among other Santa Fe credits, he appeared in the Santa Fe Stages production of Death and the Maiden in 2000, Ironweed Productions’ version of Our Town in 2012 and the Lensic Performing Arts Center’s The Laramie Project in 2010. He also played roles in a number of television and film projects over the years, including Swing Vote and Wildfire (both films shot in New Mexico) and the television series Frasier. Gerrity and Jeremy Lawrence co-authored the play Melody Jones: A Striptease in Two Acts, in the early 1990s.
Kelly Garrett
berg, but before he earned his degree, he and a friend decided to embark on a trip across the Atlantic to the United States in a 30-foot sloop handcrafted by a Russian boat maker. He was 20. Eleven months later, the tiny boat, after losing its mast, was adrift at sea when on July 4, 1949, it was spotted by someone aboard an ocean liner. The sloop’s occupants were rescued and taken to New York’s Ellis Island, his daughter said.When the story was written up in the The New York Times, he connected with a cousin in Sana Fe, who arranged for him to come here. Upon his return to Santa Fe, de la Harpe put his geology background to use as a uranium prospector and flew a small plane all over the Southwest, accompanied by his standard poodle named Victor. When he was not in the air, his daughter said, de la Harpe drove an emerald-green Triumph TR3 convertible. De la Harpe taught himself how to carve wood and became a furniture designer. He opened a gallery on Canyon Road, where his wife also showed her paintings, and the pair, who shared a passion for gardening, made the compound into one of the lushest gardens in town. De la Harpe designed and made the original sign for Canyon Road.
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town, and we were all friends.” On Jan. 1, 1950, she rode on the first New Mexico float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. She took the train to Los Angeles, escorted by historian Fray Angélico Chávez, because her parents weren’t able to attend. “I had a real tight rein kept on me,” she recalled. Growing up, Romero Jones knew Zozobra creator Will Shuster and artist Georgia O’Keeffe, the latter of whom routinely stopped in to order a limeade at the drug store where she worked as a soda jerk. After her marriage, she and her husband lived in California, Florida and Idaho. Santeros, or saint makers, were overwhelmingly men when Romero Jones began, but soon she was accepted as a santera. Her sister, Marie Romero Cash, said she was known for combining tin altar screens with painted and hand-carved figures.
Eric LaMalle, 50, restaurateur, April 16 Longtime restaurateur and outdoor sports enthusiast Eric LaMalle owned and operated Ristra on Agua Fría Street in downtown Santa Fe for 17 years. LaMalle was born in SaintFlour, a city in the Auvergne region of south-central France, and raised in Brie Sur Marne, a suburb east of Paris. He trained as an alpine mountain guide and first came to the United States about 20 years ago to work as a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain resort in California. LaMalle also lived in Arroyo Hondo and worked as an instructor at Taos Ski Valley before coming to Santa Fe. In addition to being a businessman, LaMalle was an accomplished sportsman who traveled to Alaska, Bali and Indonesia, among other places, to pursue interests in skiing, mountain biking, windsurfing and kite boarding.
Dimitri Mihalas, 74, astrophysicist, Nov. 21 Dimitri Mihalas was a Los Alamos National Laboratory astrophysicist, humble about his mind, who learned to live with depression and bipolar disorder. Mihalas was hired as a staff scientist in the applied physics department in 1998 and retired from the lab in 2012, according to LANL. He earned degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and California Institute of Technology in astronomy, mathematics and physics and worked for three decades as an astronomy professor at the University of Chicago, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was a pioneer in astrophysics, specializing in radiation transport, radiation hydrodynamics and astrophysical quantitative spectroscopy. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1981. He co-authored seven scientific books, including Foundations of Radiation Hydrodynamics, a highly technical manual considered a bible on the subject among his peers. Mihalas was diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder when he was in his 40s, though he thought signs of the conditions dated to his childhood. He wrote about his experiences in essays such as “Surviving Depression and Bipolar Disorder” and “A Primer on Depression and Bipolar Disorder” in 2002. Mihalas, a Quaker, also wrote about how his spirituality was strengthened during his struggles in his 1996 book Depression and Spiritual Growth.
Leonard A. Helman, 86, rabbi, June 6 The funeral of Leonard Helman, an attorney, judge, bridge master, tap-dancing champion and longtime member of Santa Fe’s religious community, was held at Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, an arrangement the rabbi had made years earlier with the cathedral’s former rector, the Rev. Monsignor Jerome Martinez y Alire. Gail Rappaport, executive director of Congregation Beit Tikva, of which Helman was the founding rabbi, said this was a testament to Helman’s interfaith commitment that “he would just as soon have his Jewish soul honored in the cathedral as in our Jewish sanctuary.” After receiving his Master Fidel of Hebrew Letters in 1955 and Gutierrez, his law degree from Duquesne 51, banker, University in 1970, Helman Nov. 3 came Santa Fe in 1974 to be a Fidel Lee Guti- part-time rabbi at Temple Beth errez worked Shalom. When he joined the for the Los Ala- congregation, it was serving 60 mos National families and meeting in a small Bank for 26 years, becoming building. He was hired as the senior vice president. He volfull-time rabbi in 1986, and by unteered with the Santa Fe the time he left the congregaChildren’s Museum, First Tee of tion in 1991, it had grown to New Mexico, Lensic Performing serve more than 300 families. Arts Center, Life Center FoundaIn 1991, Helman left New tion, the Santa Fe International Mexico to work at congregaFolk Art Market and the Santa Fe tions in Alabama and PennsylChamber of Commerce. vania, returning in 1995. When Billie Blair, a former president he came back, he helped found of the Santa Fe Community Congregation Beit Tikva, a JewFoundation who knew Gutierrez ish Reform congregation, at through his community service the behest of about 20 former activities, said, “He was one of members of Temple Beth Shathe most civic-minded, caring lom. In 2005, a new synagogue people in Santa Fe. was built at 2230 Old Pecos Trail “Whenever you went to Fidel and dedicated under his leaderand asked the bank to give to ship. something that would benefit Though well-known through our children, he always said Herman Montoya former his religious and professional yes,” Blair said. “Whenever you mayordomo, 102, July 9 work, Helman also gained asked him to roll up his sleeves local fame for his various hobHerman Montoya would wake and help, he was eager to join bies. He won the Virginia state up every morning and say, “God hands to build community.” chess championship twice, leads, and I follow.” was regularly seen tap danc“He was an icon in the comVolker ing or singing at the downtown munity — everyone knew him,” piano bar Vanessie and was a De La said Ruben Montoya, one of his Gold Life Master bridge player, five children. Harpe, 84, traveling the world to compete Montoya may have been woodcarver, in tournaments. The Leonard best known for his role as mayAug. 25 A. Helman Bridge Center in the ordomo of the nearly 7-mile Santa Fe Thomas Business Park, 3827 Acequia Madre. When he first woodcarver, fur- Thomas Road, was dedicated in began cleaning the acequia niture designer 2008, and Helman personally in 1915 when he was about 5, and gallery owner Volker de la contributed $50,000 toward the “the water was flowing in the Harpe had an adventurous life facility. acequia all year round,” his son that included crossing the AtlanMichael Montoya said. tic Ocean in a sailboat, serving Anita Herman Montoya was born at in the Korean War and training his family’s home on Agua Fría Romero horses for Japanese Emperor Street and by the age of 10, he Jones, 82, Hirohito. was working as a bicycle messantera, Santa Fe friends remembered senger for Western Union, which March 11 him as a charming and grahad an office in downtown Santa cious host whose dinner guests Anita Romero Fe in that period. He attended St. included Supreme Court Justice Jones grew up Francis Cathedral School before Ruth Bader Ginsburg and famed on Houghton graduating in the eighth grade, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Street in the South Capitol which was the custom at that Don Meredith. neighborhood, and attended time. De la Harpe was born to a Wood Gormley Elementary Many people asked him to run noble family in Estonia in 1929, School and Loretto Academy. for some sort of political office, when the main form of transport In 1949, when she was 18 years but he declined, saying, “A poliin winter was a horse and sleigh, old, Romero Jones was crowned tician — that’s something I’m daughter Krista de la Harpe said. Fiesta queen. “The Fiesta meant not.” In the mid-1930s, Herman He was about 10 years old when more to people in those days Montoya opened the fuel and World War II broke out and his in terms of religion,” she would feed store on Cerrillos Road. The family moved to Poland and then later recall. “There was a real city did not have telephone to Germany. He studied geolsense of history and tradition. ogy at the University of HeidelEverybody knew everybody in Please see IN MEMORIAM, Page B-4