Tony J. Lucero
Marriages
Bessie M. Gonzales Lucero - March 29, 1954
in La Junta.
Burial Details
Obituaries
Vail Daily page A4 - November 10, 2013
Tony J. Lucero, 84, of Minturn since 1958, passed away on Tuesday at his home surrounded by his family. He was born on April 3, 1929, to Antonio G. and Maria F. (Aguilar) Lucero in Anton Chico, N.M. He married Bessie M. (Gonzales) Lucero on March 29, 1954, in La Junta. Bessie Lucero preceded him in death on July 29, 2013. They had been married for 59 years.
Tony Lucero grew up during the Great Depression and served in the United States Army as a gunnery sergeant during the Korean War, where he earned numerous medals including two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star and was honorably discharged. He began working in the sugar beet factory in Rocky Ford and the Steel Mill in Pueblo, and then moved his family to Ely, Nev., where he began working in the mines. After working for a couple of years in Nevada, they then moved to the mountains to work at the New Jersey Zinc Mine in Gilman and later at the Climax Mine. While he was working in the mines, he opened Lucero’s Store in Minturn, where he and Bessie Lucero owned and operated the store for more than 30 years. Tony Lucero was a “man’s man” and enjoyed fishing, hunting, horses and fixing up old cars and motorcycles. His first motorcycle was a 1948 Indian. He taught his sons to hunt, fish and loved spending time with his family.
Tony Lucero is survived by his son, James Lucero, and wife Stephanie, of Gypsum; daughters Loretta Lucero-Calvert and husband Rick, of Leadville, and Jeannie Lucero and Mike Martinez, of Minturn; grandchildren Eric Trujillo, of Minturn, Demequa Lucero and Luis Benavides, of Minturn, Skye Calvert and Junior Artica, of Leadville, Ricky Calvert, of Leadville, and Ciarra Lujan, Donovan Gerald Lujan and Diondra Lujan, of Minturn; great grandchildren Cynthia Marie Benavides, of Minturn, Heiden Calvert Artica, of Leadville, and Jeremih Lujan, of Minturn; four brothers, four sisters and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, son Gerald Lucero, four brothers and one sister.
A visitation will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Monday at St. Patrick’s Parish Church in Minturn with a rosary service to begin at 7 p.m. A Christian Mass and burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Parish Church with the Rev. Jim Baird as celebrant. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Minturn with a reception to follow at the St. Patrick’s Parish Church Spirit Center. Bailey-Kent Funeral Home of Leadville is assisting the family with arrangements. Please visit www.baileykent funeralhome.com to send a condolence to the Lucero family.
