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Bargas -- Ralph Bargas, 77, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, and friend, left us without warning on Friday, September 28, 2001. Born on May 29, 1924 in East Los Angeles, California to Albino Bargas and Soledad Duran, originally of Hillsboro, New Mexico, Ralph was the last surviving sibling of six brothers and sisters all of whom he loved and missed very much. Always reserved, meticulous, and hardworking, Ralph grew up during the"Great Depression," when it was not unusual for a very young child to sell newspapers on the street corners of Los Angeles to help support his family. He worked throughtout his high school years at Lincoln High, helping his favorite Uncle Al do gardening in the affluent Beverly Hills. Following WW II, Ralph became a Tool and Die Maker and a member of the International Association of Machinists, an honorable union that he was proud to say greatly improved the lives of working men every where. Ralph married his beautiful teenage sweetheart, Frances, in 1947, a partnership that would endure 54 years. In 1963, Ralph fulfilled a life-long dream to move his family to New Mexiico and open a magic and novelty retail business in the heart of downtown Albuquerque, on Fourth Street near Central Avenue. With the suggestion of family friend Ernest Stapleton, Ralph named his unique business "Fool's Paradise," and he began a challenging and exciting thirty-year long venture. Working along side of Frances, and his magician son, Roger, later turned lawyer magician, Ralph became involved in the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and fondly remembered these times as some of the happiest years of his life. A life-long Democrat, Ralph was passionate about politics and loved nothing more than to read everything he could about his favorite subject and discuss it with his daughters and to tease his Republican sister-in-law with his great zeal. Above all else, Ralph was a man of integrity and humility. Greatly shaped by a strong family life, his upbringing in the Catholic Church and by the times of his life, Ralph never flinched from responsibilty or veered from the high road simply because he could't. He was a member of truly, the"Greatest Generation". A gentle, quiet spoken, intelligent man, he will be painfully missed, particularly during family gatherings, at the head of our table. Ralph is survived by his wife, Frances; his children, Roger and wife, Cathy; April and husband, Tony Jojola, and Valerie; precious grandchildren, Ryan, Natasha, Cole, Brynne, and Spencer; and great-granddaughter, Anistasia; and sister-in-law, Marie Ashby. The Service for Ralph will be on Tuesday, October 2, 2001 at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Vista Verde Mortuary, Sara Rd. at Meadowlark Ln., Rio Rancho, with Fr. Clarence Galli officiating. Entombment will follow in Vista Verde Memorial park. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to your favorite charity supporting the victims and families of the September 11, 2001, National Tragedy. Arrangements by Vista Verde Mortuary, Rio Rancho, 892-9920.
        Published on: Tue October 02, 2001