John Antonio Sanchez May 29, 1951 ~ February 23, 2025 (age 73)

Funeral services for John Antonio Sanchez, 73, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Tues., Mar. 4, 2025 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Pastor Bob Civil officiating, assisted by Jeff Civil.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery.

Juan Antonio Sanchez, known to most as John, was born May 29, 1951 in Raton, NM to the home of Mary Frances (Cordova) and Antonio “Toney” Sanchez, and died Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 in Amarillo, TX.  John’s family moved to Clayton when he was a boy, and he attended school there.  After leaving school, he worked at various odd jobs before enlisting in the US Marine Corps.  Following his discharge, John returned to Clayton and began working for the railroad.  He continued there until he was injured on the job and was no longer able to work there.

From Clayton, he moved to Portales to make his home, and on April 14, 1979, he was married to Maria Armijo.  Since living in Portales, John had worked at various places in town.  For some time he worked in Food Services at Eastern New Mexico University.  He had also worked at one of the local peanut mills.  In more recent years, John volunteered at the Community Services Center as a Senior Companion.  He continued in that role caring for a friend who had been moved to Retirement Ranch in Clovis.

John was a very gentle and caring man, always ready to be of assistance.  He was very friendly and well liked by everyone who knew him.  He and a group of his friends met regularly at McDonal’s for coffee.  As an adult, John converted to Messianic Judaism, and worshipped with a congregation in Clovis.

He is survived by his wife, Maria of the home; a step-son and daughter-in-law, Norbert and Irma Garcia of Portales; a step-daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Jeff Civil of Amarillo; four step-grandchildren, Daniel, Jacob and Joseph Garcia and Edward Araque; a brother, Filbert Sanchez of Nine Mile Falls, WA and a half-brother, John Manuel Sanchez of Albuquerque; and two sisters, Elain Sanchez of Portales  and Martha Ruiz of Rio Rancho, NM.  He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Victoria Cardenas and Margie Flores and a sister and brother-in-law, Victoria and Claud Jaramillo.

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