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GROSSETETE -- Alec Paul Grossetete, was born September 5, 1934, at Womens and Childrens Hospital in Albuquerque, and died suddenly January 14, 2004. He was from a New Mexico pioneer family. Alec was a descendant of Antoine Grossetete whose name is inscribed on the Victory Monument at Yorktown, Virginia. Antoine fought with the French artillery of General Rochambeau which aided General George Washington in the most decisive battle of the American War for Independence. Antoine died in the Battle of Yorktown, 1781, at the age of 30. Alec's great-grandparents, Clothilde and Auguste Grossetete, originally came to America by sailing ship from the region of France known as Alsace-Lorraine. The family eventually came to New Mexico in 1880 as homesteaders in Catron County. Alecs two great-uncles were ambushed and murdered: Alexis by cattle barons who wanted his water rights and Fred who was gunned down on a cattle drive. The early history of the Grossetetes in New Mexico has been chronicled by authors Victor Westphall and Howard Bryan, among others. The Grossetete family moved to Albuquerque in the 1920s. Alec's father, Aleck, was one of the founders of the EverReady Oil Company. Alec's first job was as a 6 year old gas station attendant at his fathers service station. His father left the family oil business in the 1940s to found his investment and construction company, La Mesa Builders, Inc. Alec, and his brother Don, grew up with La Mesa Builders and eventually took over running the company. La Mesa Builders, Inc. built many schools, gymnasiums, public buildings, and housing in New Mexico and southern Colorado, including the Girl Scout camp in the Jemez mountains. La Mesa's Taos, New Mexico Courthouse Complex won several awards, as did many of its other projects. Alec married his high school sweetheart, Ginger Taylor, in June 1954. She was the love of his life, and his best friend. In December they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on a cruise with their daughters' families. Alec was preceded in death by his grandparents, Dutch and Toots Williamson, Gus and Maude Grossetete; a daughter, Susan Denise "Neice" in 1964, his father Aleck in 1992, and his mother-in-law, Bonnie Taylor Williams in 1998. Alec lives on in his wife Ginger; his mother, Memaw Sue; brother, Don Grossetete and wife, Jackie; sister, Cerelle Hippeli and husband, Julian; daughters, Gay Blech and husband, Dusty, Teri Maclennan and husband, Brian; grandchildren, Briana and Kessick Blech, Joseph and Elizabeth Zeni; nephews, Grant Grossetete and wife, Kristi, Mark Grossetete and wife, Kathy, Dacian Hippeli, T.J.. Hippeli, Rani Hippeli, his "adopted" Colombian family, daughter, Margarita Maggie Polanco and husband, Manuel Hurtado; son, Mario Alzate and wife, Ruby, Nancy Alzate; grandchildren, Manolo, Margarita, and Alejandro Hurtado, and Aura Maria Alzate. He also lives on in his cousins and his many close friends. A celebration of his life will take place Saturday, January 24, 10:30 a.m., First Christian Church, 10101 Montgomery NE. In lieu of flowers, Alec had requested that donations be made to a charity of your choice or to the Ginger Grossetete Endowment Fund to support senior citizens in need, Albuquerque Community Foundation, 3301 Menaul Blvd. NE, 87107, 883-6240. Alec Grossetete: a builder of buildings great and small, loved, and used for all manner of purposes Demie Tasse's best friend and savior a lover of quail prancing on the wall an expert on songs (many of which were off the wall) A wordsmith and poet who played with words, made up names, and coined phrases simply for the pleasure of it. He had "pre-anticipatory cognizant awareness": when others did not. His favorite bumper sticker "Eschew obfuscation". a story teller extraordinaire and an embellisher of jokes a seeker of the best red chile an epicure at the Frontier and Padillas restaurants a builder of fast boats with motors too big a resuscitator of boat outdrives with motors too big a rider of motorcycles too loud a maker of extraordinary pyrotechnic devices, too loud and high flying the inventor of the worlds first fireplace shooting gallery a pioneering New Mexico boater and owner of land at Elephant Butte which used to be just about beach front property the undisputed Captain of the Toad and winner of sailing regattas an airplane pilot who flew above the clouds a man with power over machines of many types including his computer which he forced to serve him, making it a machine which brought him closer to people. His unorthodox computer style, however, often defied the laws of computer science and electrical engineering. the patriarch, the foundation of the family who willingly, lovingly, and with consummate skill took upon his shoulders the responsibilities of family matters great and small a meticulous maker of many lists, a planner of many plans and a dreamer of many dreams which he made happen for many a perceptive judge of good character (he liked us, didnt he?) an aficionado of air conditioning systems an intrepid traveler to places far away, who also introduced us to life just south of the border a man who brought people of two continents together, nourishing the relationships with the family from Colombia for over 30 years husband, father, grandfather, friend to whom he gave indescribable gifts of love, compassion, and understanding Debe or D.B. or Honey or Dad or Dahd or Aluck or Uncle Fuzz or Tata Bon Voyage, Tata!
        Published on: Sun January 18, 2004