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William "Bill" L. Baca, died Friday morning, January 6, 2006 at St. Vincent Hospital from complications associated with a long illness. Bill was a lifelong citizen of Santa Fe, NM being born to the late Jesus Maria Baca and his wife Julia Strong Baca - both prominent citizens of Santa Fe. Bill's extended family includes the Berardinelli, Johnson, Kahn, Martinez, Trambley, and Sanchez families from throughout Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico. Bill attended Santa Fe public schools and was a member of several high school championship teams to include the 1943 State Football championship team. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1944 and served in the Pacific theater as an armored reconnaissance scout. Upon returning to Santa Fe, Bill met and married the former Colleen "Coke" Marie Boyd. Together, Bill and Coke had two children - Darlene and Billie. Bill was active in the Santa Fe community as he served as a founding member of the Santa Fe Marine Corps League and elected to the presidency of the Santa Fe School board. He was also an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Elks Club where he held offices in both organizations. Bill and Coke established a successful insurance business in Santa Fe, which served a large clientele in Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico until retirement in 1984. Thereafter, Bill and Coke remained active in family affairs associated with six grandchildren and ultimately nine great-grandchildren. Bill was preceded in death by his brothers, Mike and Bernard Baca. Coke died in 1998. He is survived by his two daughters, Darlene "Darti" Griego of Santa Fe, Billie Rios of Albuquerque and her husband, Leo of Alexandria, VA. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Monica Luna, her husband, John, and their son, Sterling - of Santa Fe, NM; Dana Gass, her husband, Jason, and their sons, Dillon and J.J., and daughter, Adrian of Santa Fe, NM; Victoria Rios-Furlow, her husband, Mike and their sons, Jack and Aiden posted with the military at San Angelo, TX; Leanne Rios and companion, Kent Brown of Vienna, Austria; Erika Griego, her daughters, Jocelyn and Skylar of Santa Fe; and Patrick "PJ", his wife, Veronica and son, Josiah of Santa Fe. Wednesday Services include a visitation beginning at 4:00 p.m. and Rosary services at 7:00 p.m. followed by a Memorial Service at Berardinelli's mortuary. Funeral Services will be held at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Thursday morning at 9:00 with internment at the Santa Fe National Cemetery with full military honors following the Funeral Mass. There will be a reception following the interment ceremony for family and friends at the Guadalupe Parish Hall.
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