Richard Marchese, 73, a resident of San Pedro, New Mexico, passed away on June 1, 2018 at his home with his wife of 37 years, Francis, at his side, following a heart attack.
His strong Catholic faith guided him; he completed his Cursillo in 1989 and served others as a Eucharistic minister. Richard was a ham radio enthusiast since age 14 and a member of the American Radio Relay League. He was an avid gardener and provided a loving home to a menagerie of furry and feathered friends. He also enjoyed the fellowship of the New Mexico Men’s Wellness community.
Richard worked in the higher education and non-profit sectors for 40 years. He skillfully wrote more than 600 grant proposals, raised millions in funds and guided the implementation of high-impact programs. Richard was a Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) staff member, part-time instructor and grant-writing consultant since 1996. Most recently, he assisted in raising funds for the First Born® Home Visiting Program for first-time parents, a new initiative of SFCC’s Early Childhood Center of Excellence. He was a mentor and a teacher, and his legacy lives on through his positive influence on students and colleagues.
His death is preceeded by his parents, Lena Hemmerlin and Theodore Joseph Marchese, his brother Peter Marchese and niece Amanda Rose Chazen. He is deeply missed by his wife Francis Kenworthy Marchese, his son Aston Michel Haldance, his brother Ted Marchese, his sisters Louise Purdy, Marey Ellen Chazen, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
The following services will be held to celebrate his life and mourn his passing: rosary and viewing – Sunday, June 10 at 6 p.m., DeVargas Funeral Home, 623 N Railroad Ave, Española, NM 87532. Funeral Mass – Monday, June 11 at 10 a.m., Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 908 Calle Rosario, Española NM 87532. For planning purposes, please let Ann Black know if you will be attending, 928-779-4584 or ann.black@sfcc.edu.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Fe Community College Foundation on behalf of the First Born® Program. Checks can be mailed to SFCC Foundation at 6401 Richards Ave Santa Fe, NM 87508 or give online at www.sfcc.edu/give-now/ For more information, contact Kelly Smith at kelly.smith@sfcc.edu.
