Lazaro Palomarez

Lazaro Palomarez, 82, of Bayard passed away Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at Fort Bayard Medical Center.

Visitation will begin at five o'clock in the evening on Monday, September 15, 2025 at Baca's Funeral Chapel in Silver City. The Holy Rosary and Prayer Vigil will be held at six o'clock. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for Lazaro at eleven-thirty in the morning on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at the Infant Jesus Shrine in Hurley. The Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at Fort Bayard National Cemetery with full military honors. Father Casmir Anozie will officiate.

Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Zachary Palomarez, Lazaro Palomarez III, Mateo Palomarez, Robert Peru, Joseph Kirker, Mark Diaz, and his great-granddaughter Annaleah Roybal.

Honorary Pallbearers are his three granddaughters, Jaclyn Medrano, Vanessa Grinie, Felicia Peru, all of his great-grandchildren, his nephew Raymond (Linda) Palomarez, and Manny Rivera who was like another son to him.

Lazaro was born January 3, 1943 to Candelario and Amparo E. Palomarez in Hatchita, NM. Lazaro grew up in Vanadium and graduated in 1962. He was drafted in 1964 and served in the Vietnam War until 1966. He was a proud Vietnam Veteran of the United States Army. He married Estella Gaytan on February 13, 1971.  He will be remembered as a man of faith who loved his family fiercely. Lazaro worked at the Continental Mine, the Phelps Dodge Mine in Tyrone, and later relocating to the Morenci, AZ mine in 1992 where he worked up to his retirement in 2006 and moved back to their home in Bayard. Lazaro loved playing his guitar and singing in the English and Spanish choir at the Holy Cross Church in Morenci, AZ and had the honor of singing the “Ave Maria” at many weddings and funerals. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and attended mass regularly at the Infant Jesus Shrine in Hurley and Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Bayard. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, sharing his love of music, cooking out, roasting green chile and telling his wonderful stories. He loved fishing, hunting, camping, piñon picking, and anything outdoors.  Lazaro was a lifelong sports fan and, in his younger years quite the athlete. Lazaro was an accomplished basketball player, golfer, and bowler. He always enjoyed attending his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids’ sports games. His favorite baseball team was the Arizona Diamondbacks and his favorite football team was the Chicago Bears.

Lazaro is survived by his companion of ten years, Amelia Elizalde; his son Lazaro Palomarez Jr (Blanca Sanchez); and his three daughters, Josie Peru, Julie (Joey) Kirker, and Judy (Jose) Diaz; two brothers, Manuel and Jojo (Argelia) Palomarez; three sisters, Angie Gallegos, Olga Gonzalez, and Betty Rubio; and sister-in-law, Martha (Severo) Gallegos. He is also survived by his grandchildren Joseph (Victoria) Kirker, Jaclyn (Gabriel) Medrano, Robert Peru (Jennifer), Felicia Peru, Vanessa (Michael) Grinie, Mark Diaz (Jade), Zachary (Kaitlyn) Palomarez, Lazaro “Tre” Palomarez (Norma), Mateo Palomarez (Alyna), and seventeen great-grandchildren, Abri, Jayda, Annaleah, Sheyenne, Zia, Gianna, Ray, Maria, Rilee, Ayiana, Paisley, Gabriel, Michael, Malachi, Matthias, Micaela, Camille, and numerous nieces, nephews, and his Godchildren.

Lazaro was preceded in death by his spouse, Estella G. Palomarez; his parents, four brothers, Antonio, Pedro, Victor and Candy Palomarez; three sisters, Mary Banda, Elvira and Manuela Palomarez; his son-in-law Robert Peru and his grandson, Andrew Peru.

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