Ronney "Ron" Sanchez

COURTESY ANNOUNCEMENT

Ronney “Ron” Sanchez, 72, passed away on Saturday, June 22, 2024, after a lengthy battle with cancer. 

He was preceded in death by his mother Utako Sanchez and father Librado Sanchez.

Ron was born in Okinawa, Japan and moved to San Francisco at a young age. He moved to the Espanola Valley in 1989 where he lived and worked 25 years. He spent the most recent years of his life in Albuquerque. 

Ron is survived by; his longtime partner and caretaker Sharon Sanchez, daughter Gelenia Sanchez, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter; stepdaughters Jennifer Simms and Delisha Gordon-Brown (Khristian); stepsons Tom Simms and Tony Gordon and 1 grandson. As the oldest child, Ron is survived by his siblings and close in-laws from California; Loretta (Keith) Martin, Renee (William) Fontaine, and Andy (Peggy) Sanchez. He also leaves behind; 12 nieces and nephews from the Sanchez and Velasquez families, godson Antonio Garcia, his previous wife Eutimia Sanchez, and mother in-law Beatrice (Fermin) Perea. Ron had many more close friends and lots of great-nieces/nephews, in-laws, cousins, and extended family from the Sanchez, Velasquez, and Garcia families.

Ron was loved by many and will be remembered as a gentle giant with a heart of gold. He loved music and dancing and would be the first on the dance floor. He was the best dance partner full of rhythm and soul. Ron was also a big sports fan and cheered on the SF 49'ers and SF Giants enthusiastically. On the perfect day you could find him playing a round of golf on the course or watching it on tv. He also played softball for many years and was either playing first base or pitching. Ron became close friends with his teammates on The Wild Bunch in California and The Bad Boyz in Espanola.

Ronney will rest in San Francisco next to his mother, where he can be close to his brother and sisters. 

A Celebration of Life will be planned in the next few months in Espanola, NM. 

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Presbyterian Hospice Care or the American Cancer Society for Pancreatic Cancer.