Obituary of Pete Morales

Pedro (Pete/Peter) Morales, 92 years young, transitioned from this life to his heavenly home on April 15, 2023, with his daughters Alice and Amelia and his loving wife Grace by his side. He battled a serious illness for nearly a week and sadly expired; but not before he was able to speak to each of his family members – he gave them advice, his blessings, his unconditional love, and one more corny memory for them to laugh at.

Pete was born in Pinnacle Kemmerer “PK” Mining Camp in Mont Harris, CO (a small mining town that was once between Steamboat Springs, CO and Hayden, CO). His parents were Sacramento Morales (Guanajuato, MX) and Maria (Martinez) (Tamaulipas, MX). Both parents had passed away by the time Pete was six years old. Pete was the oldest brother to three siblings, Daniel (Morales) Sanchez and Manuel (Morales) Sanchez, also to his baby sister Susie, who passed away at 5 ½ months old. He was also half-brother to Jose Maria (Joe) Morello and step-brother to Herman Sanchez. After the passing of his parents the boys went to live with Pete’s godparents Dón Pablo and Doña Maria Sanchez. His godparents never adopted Pete and his brothers, but when they registered them into school, they listed their last name as Sanchez. Pete’s godfather told them that they should keep their birth name of Morales, so that their children would have the last name of his parents to carry their name on.

Pete and his family grew up poor but happy. Daddy told us many stories of his and his brothers lives growing up. Fishing and swimming in the river, learning how to hunt from his brother Herman and many fun, but dangerous adventures. Daddy only went to the 9th grade, (as he went off to work at the mine to help bring money into the family). Daddy may have went to the 9th grade, but our dad was intelligent. He loved to read, history was his favorite subject, but he had knowledge in many areas.

Daddy joined the US Marine Corp. on May 1, 1952, he received the Navy Occupational Medal (Europe), Korean Service Medal, UN Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal. He was VERY proud to have been a marine, and you never saw him without his Marine Corp. cap. Daddy was a Drill Sargent at one point when he was in the service. Once we were able to walk and follow orders, and understand the lyrical call outs of Cadence, he continued to use those skills on my sister and I. We would ask our daddy to go outside and “drill”, I think that is why I walk the way I do. He also tried it on his grandchildren, who would join in on the drills. I don’t recall him trying it with the great-grandchildren, but I expect they wouldn’t follow direction as easily as we did, as they do have his mischievous nature.

He met our mother when he and friend stopped by to chat with one of her old friends. My mom was very shy, and when she saw the two men, she decided she was going to leave and went out of a window, but my dad saw her. He called out to her to ask where she was going, and would she please stay and have a conversation with him. She agreed but only for a little while as she needed to go home. He finally convinced her to

go to the movies with him, along with the other couple, and they then began to date. By their third date he asked her to marry him, after she asked him why since they barely started dating, he said “because I loved you once I saw you going out of that window” and she then agreed. They were married on August 17, 1957, and this year would have been 66 years. Their life together was filled with happiness, some turmoil, like any other marriage but their marriage always had love. God blessed them with two daughters. He always told us that he only wanted girls, no boys, although Mea, the youngest was such a tom-boy, she filled that space for him.

Pete is survived by his wife Grace (Zamudio), eldest daughter Alice Marie, husband Simon Montez, their children: (Eldest son) Nicholas Montez, wife Priscilla, and their son (great-grandson) Vincent, (Daughter) Andrea (Montez) Carnes, her husband Will, their son (great-grandson) Dominic, and bonus great-grandchildren Alex and Addie, and Alice and Simon’s youngest son Zachary Montez. Youngest daughter Amelia (Mea), her husband Al Duran, their children: (Eldest daughter) Angeleen Duran, her significant other, Lucas Nelson, their son (great-grandson) Theodore and bonus (great-grandson) Brody, (Youngest daughter) Alexandrea (Duran) Kerr, her husband Ryan, their daughter (great-granddaughter) Francesca, son (great-grandson) Benjamin, son (great-grandson) Nathaniel, son (great-grandson) Julian, and Mea and Al’s youngest son Anthony Duran.

Our father loved everyone, didn't have a harsh word for anyone, and accepted everyone for who they were.