Obituaries

Randall R. Lutz, Jan. 12

Robert M. Quintana, 63; Las Vegas, N.M.; Jan. 10

Robert M. Quintana, age 63, of Las Vegas, NM, passed away on January 10, 2021 in Albuquerque, NM. Robert was born on January 11, 1957in Las Vegas, NM to Ferdinando and Teresa Quintana.

Robert attended and graduated from Las Vegas City Schools. He began his ranching and farming career at the young age of 18 when he took over the family farm located at Storrie Project just east of Las Vegas, NM. He leased several ranches in New Mexico and Arizona. Robert would utilize these leased properties to graze yearlings that he would purchase. After doing this for several years, it provided the financial means to purchase his first ranch in 1990. In 1990, he started his ranching and farming career by starting up his first ranch after purchasing three ranches; Goetsch Ranch, Turner Ranch, and Doolittle Ranch and combining them into one. After running his yearling operation in 2003, he purchased the Barker farm in Southern Colorado which consisted of six farming circles. Robert and his small crew worked diligently and extensively to develop what was once Barker farms, and created the 27 circle entity “Quintana Farms.” In 2008, Robert continued to expand his operations by purchasing the historic Phoenix Ranch located at the crossing of the Old Santa Fe Trail and the Mora River. Then, later on in 2014, Robert sold the Barker Farm and purchased the Fire and Ice Ranch located in Wagon Mound, NM. In 2016, Robert purchased the Piojo Ranch which is adjacent to the Phoenix Ranch in Watrous, NM. Robert not only purchased these ranches but put an extensive amount of work into water conservation for these ranches. In 2017, Robert purchased the Allen Ranch located in Sapello, NM as well as the McKinnley Ranch located east of Las Vegas, NM. In 2019, he purchased the Wallace Ranch located just north of Las Vegas, NM. After more than 30 years of hard work and dedication to what he loved, he currently owns more than 71,000 acres of ranch and irrigated land.

Apart from Roberts’s love for ranching and farming, he had another interest to invest and give back to the community. In 2017, Robert purchased shares in Community First Bank. Quickly thereafter, he became the majority shareholder. In addition to owning and sustaining his operations, Robert had time to give back to the community by serving in numerous cooperatives, boards, committees, and programs to include: Mora/San Miguel Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees Chairman District 2 and Director of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, representing Las Vegas, NM and surrounding areas; Community First Bank, Las Vegas, NM; Board of Directors, Chairman of Board; Las Vegas San Miguel County Economic Development Corporation; Board Member-Sanchez Ditch; and Reservoir Company Board of Directors, Costilla County, CO; Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service County Committee Chairman; Farm Credit of NM Board of Directors Nominating Committee; Wells Fargo Bank Advisory Board Member; Las Vegas Community Water Board Member; Appointed to State Park Advisory Board by NM State Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham; Received the Area Conservation Award; Received the Outstanding Land Stewardship Award for the San Miguel County and Northeastern Region Robert also had extensive experience in New Mexico water rights and the impact to agriculture and municipalities. Robert was a member of the Board of Directors for the Storrie Project Water Users Association for 40 years. He served as the Board President since 1985. He successfully negotiated settlement for Storrie Project Water Users of a forty-year-old Pueblo Water Rights litigation involving City of Las Vegas and NM State Engineers Office and others. Robert also worked extensively with City of Las Vegas and community members to develop workable strategies to resolve municipality water and storage issues. He was able to successfully negotiate agreements with New Mexico State Parks and City of Las Vegas to ensure financial independence for Storrie Project Water Users Association.

Robert continued to prove his financial success stemming from his innovative approach to the production of high-quality horse and dairy hay, feeder cattle, and maximizing diversity of land resources. He developed all agricultural land to achieve high level of water conservation and efficiency in irrigation systems as well as developed all agricultural land to maximize production of hay and feeder cattle sales. He also worked hard to ensure high level of customer service resulting in satisfied and longtime customer base. Robert’s pride in what others would call work, but to him a lifestyle shows in all he does. Robert was a business man –and a brilliant one at that. It showed in everything from his work ethic to his pristine and well maintained equipment to the extensive improvements he made to his properties. He took his one farm and built an empire from it. Robert did this by following his one motto he lived by, “the harder you work, the luckier you get.” He took pride in knowing that he had a gift for “...creating bare land into lush producing farm land, coveted by all...” Robert was very intellectual. He enjoyed partaking in talks regarding politics, farming, cattle, banking, etc. In fact, there were very few topics that did not interest him. He enjoyed a good debate and loved to take on new and challenging projects. Robert had a great sense of humor and definitely brought smile and laughter to all who were around him. One thing is for sure, Robert had an impact to all he met. No matter if it was ranching or farming or at the bank, no matter what he did, Robert was ready and willing to put in the time and effort it took to get the job done and succeeding in all he did.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Millie Buell; and brother, Paul C. Quintana. He is survived by his daughter, Natalie Marrujo (Nick); son, Michael A. Quintana (Ali) all of Las Vegas, NM; and daughter, Kristi L. Driscoll of Denver, CO; grandchildren, Christopher Quintana (Jade), Cailyn Marrujo, Makayla Quintana, Caleb Marrujo, Carli Marrujo, Taylor Quintana, Ava Quintana, Brady Driscoll, and Miles Driscoll; great-granddaughter, Journey Covington; sisters, Isabel Quintana of Las Vegas, NM; Mary Langlois of Santa Fe, NM; Fabi Rodriguez (Joe) of Sun City West, AZ; brother-in-law, Paul Buell of Las Cruces, NM; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.

Cremation has taken place. Funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Las Vegas, NM with Father George V. Salazar as celebrant. Due to Covid-19, restrictions attendance is limited to family only. Masks must be worn. Funeral mass will be live streamed on facebook.com/ic. Family respectfully asks to please withhold from paying condolences to the family due to the pandemic

Arrangements are entrusted to and under the care of Rogers Mortuary, 600 Reynolds Avenue Las Vegas, NM 1-800-479-3511 or 505-425-3511.