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Charles Madrid Jr., born November 23, 1919, in Las Cruces, New Mexico passed away peacefully and in the presence of his loving family on November 8, 2010, at the age of 90. Charlie was the eldest son of a founding family of Dona Ana and Las Cruces. His father was Charles Madrid Sr., an American Indian leader, a banker, farmer and rancher in the Mesilla Valley. His mother was the beautiful Irish, Jennie Barncastle of Dona Ana. She was a descendant of Union Soldier John D. Barncastle, who came to New Mexico in the California Column during the Civil War. These soldiers were some of the first non-native, non-Hispanic settlers of the Mesilla Valley. Charlie's beautiful, devoted wife of 70 years is Virginia (Mabel) Madrid, daughter of John Fitch and Juanita Triviz. Like his father, Charlie was a leader of the Piro-Manso-Tiwa Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe and served as Tribal Chairman for over twenty years and was instrumental in tracing our tribal history in this region back to the 1400's. As a young man, Charlie was often seen riding his horse between Las Cruces and Dona Ana where he visited his Barncastle cousins and courted the love of his life, Mabel Fitch. Charlie joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 16 where he proudly served in the South Pacific theatre during World War II. Thereafter, he also served in the U.S. Army. While in the military, Charlie was a competitive boxer. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from NMSU in 1956. This included the study of animal science. He subsequently worked for and retired from the management of a dairy for the U.S. Dept. of Justice. Charlie enjoyed life fully and had many interests. He cultivated an organic fruit and pecan orchard in San Isidro, North of Las Cruces. He had a life-long love of nature, the outdoors, horticulture, the animal kingdom and astronomy. As a master gardener, he grafted and grew many varieties of grapes, peaches, apricots, figs, and pomegranates and was proud of his homemade wine. As a beekeeper he was featured in "The Mother Earth News" magazine and spent many years surrounded by his magnificent chickens and roosters that greeted him each dawn. Charlie was an expert hunter who took the time to teach his sons and nephews hunting skills such as shooting, tracking, and bow hunting on horseback. He taught many others hunting skills including camouflage, portage, marksmanship, and Indian hunting rituals and traditions. Charlie was very well read and especially interested and knowledgeable about American Indian history and civil rights for all people. This was a passion that he shared with his children and all who knew him. Charlie will be remembered for his forthrightness, keen sense of humor and the mischievous twinkle in his beautiful green eyes. He will also be remembered by his family and friends for his wisdom, insight and vitality. Charlie was preceded in death by his son, Michael Madrid, and siblings, Mary Paredes, Henry Madrid, and Geronimo Madrid. In addition to his wife Mabel, he is survived by his sister, Aurelia (Bella) Camunez; and his children Charles Madrid III, Former Attorney General Patricia Madrid and her husband L. Michael Messina, Phillip Madrid, Celeste Taylor, M.D., Cindy Madrid, and Paul Madrid; his grandchildren, Samantha Madrid, J.D., Giancarlo Madrid Messina, Jennifer Madrid, Celeste DeMars, J.D., Michael Taylor, Asher and Brandon Madrid, Gian Quinn Madrid, and Gage Madrid; and his great grandchildren, Emlen Joyce, Diego and Hudson DeMars, and Alyssa and Devon Madrid. A memorial service was held at Baca's Funeral Chapels in Las Cruces on Saturday, November 13, 2010. Entrusted to Baca's Funeral Chapels and Baca's Sunset Crematory, Las Cruces. 527-2222. To send condolences online log onto www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com
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