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Dr. Sabine Reyes Ulibarri, 83, a resident of Albuquerque, passed away peacefully Saturday, January 4, 2003. He was the son of Sabiniano Reyes Ulibarri and Simonita Gonzalez Ulibarri of Tierra Amarilla, NM. Humanist, hispanist, poet, author, professor, brother, grandfather, friend and mentor; he will be missed by the many whose lives he touched. He is survived by his beloved wife, Connie; son, Carlos and wife, Mary and their sons, Daniel and Victor; sisters, Simonita (Jomo) Trujillo of Santa Fe and Mary Jo (Faffi) Kiser of Amarillo, TX; and his many loved nephews and nieces. Sabine is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Alfonso and Albert Ulibarri. Born in Santa Fe on September on September 21, 1919, he grew up on his fathers ranch and began his education in Tierra Amarilla. Following the premature death of his parents, he began teaching in the Rio Arriba County Schools to support himself and his younger brothers and sisters. He moved to Albuquerque to attend the University of New Mexico as a freshman in the fall of 1937, where he met and married Connie Limon. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and served from 1942-1945 as a ball-turret gunner in a B-17 stationed in Wellingborough England. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, U.S. Air Force Medal (with three oak leaf clusters) for flying in 35 combat missions over Europe. Ulibarri returned to UNM and received his BA in Spanish Literature in 1947 and MA in 1949; he completed his education with a PhD in Romance Languages from UCLA in 1959. Uli, as he was affectionately known, then returned to a distinguished career as a professor of Hispanic Language, Culture and Literature at UNM, also serving in a variety of administrative posts for the University and professional and cultural organizations. He wrote, lectured and traveled with family, friends and students. He received numerous awards, including the Governors Award for Excellence and Achievement in Literature for his creative work. His favored medium was the short story, which he wrote in both Spanish and English. He was a pioneer in the field of bilingual editioning, and his stories of life in his beloved northern New Mexico have become favorites of English- and Spanish-speaking readers and students of both languages alike. He did the best he could at what he loved the most, and devoted himself to his chosen work. Sabine lived a long, eventful and satisfying life and generously shared his experience with others. Rosary will be recited Thursday, 7:00 p.m., at French Mortuary, University Blvd. Chapel, 1111 University Blvd. NE, with Father Robert Keller, O.P. Mass will be celebrated Friday, 10:00 a.m., at Aquinas Newman Center, 1815 Las Lomas Rd. NE, with Father Robert Keller, O.P., Celebrant. Interment will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Joaquin De Vargas, Bob Mitchell, Edward Trujillo, Jaime Trujillo, Donald Trujillo and Matthew Sanchez. Friends may visit French Mortuary, 1111 University Blvd. NE, Thursday, 3:00 p.m. to Rosary. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation, 1701 4th Street SW, 87102, UNM Foundation and Development Office, General Scholarship Fund, Attn: Mary Wolford, MSCO7 4260 One University, 700 Lomas Blvd. NE, 87131-0001 or to Aquinas Newman Center, 1815 Las Lomas Rd. NE, 87102. Arrangements by French Mortuary, 1111 University Blvd. NE.
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