Porfilio “Peter” Mermejo

Porfilio “Peter” Mermejo 

Birth: 9 August 1940 Picuris Pueblo, Taos, NM USA 
Death: 26 May 2015 Picuris Pueblo, Taos, NM USA 

US Navy | Vietnam War
Portrait photo of Porfilio Mermejo

Burial Site: Picuris Pueblo, Taos County, New Mexico, USA

Porfilio “Peter” Mermejo was born on August 9th, 1940, during the Sunset Dance at the Picuris Pueblo, in Taos, New Mexico. His family of 8 siblings lived there until Peter was 10 years old when his father, Donaciano “Don” Mermejo, took a job for the railroad and moved to Ophir, UT. They lived there for 4 years, then moved to Stockton, UT, when his father took a job at Tooele Army Depot. Peter, as he liked to be called, attended High School at Tooele High School and graduated in 1958. He then attended Snow Jr. College, and then shortly afterwards joined the US Navy in 1963, serving until 1967.

While on leave in San Francisco, CA, he met, Sharon Lynne O’ Grady, while attending a church meeting. Peter was honorably discharged from the US Navy as a Petty Officer 3rd Class, and on February 24th 1968 Peter and Sharon were married in the same church they met. At some point, Peter and Sharon moved to Clearfield, UT., and had three daughters: Sage (Deloris), Michelle, and Molly, while working as civilian employees at Hill Air Force Base. While working at the Air Force Base, Peter earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science at Weber State College. In 1979, Peter worked as an Electrical Technician at McClellan Air Force Base and moved his family to Sacramento, CA. On Father’s Day 1984, Sharon passed away after a long fight with brain cancer at the age of 39. In 1995 Peter retired from McClellan AFB and relocated to Citrus Heights, CA. In 1996 Peter got remarried to Cecilia Clark. Peter and his new wife, Cecilia, moved to Picuris Pueblo, NM, fulfilling a life-long dream to return home. They eventually had a daughter, Rosemary Grace. Peter had the honor to be the first Native American in New Mexico to receive 4th-degree Knights of Columbus. He passed away after a 3-year battle with a rare lung disease attributed to Rheumatoid Arthritis on 26 May 2015. He had both a traditional and Catholic funeral and was buried with full Military Honors.1 

 

    Notes:

    1. “Porfilio “Peter” Mermejo” The Santa Fe New Mexican 26 May 2016
    2. Porfilio “Peter” Mermejo Photo by Find A Grave.com, August 2023

    Written by Charles Preston a SFCC student.