Shawn Sanchez, 30, a resident of Regina, NM, went to be with our Lord and Savior on May 22, 2026 surrounded by family and friends, after an unexpected illness.

Shawn was always thinking of and taking care of others, even to his very last days. He loved trying new foods and restaurants, especially different pizza places. He enjoyed cruises through the mountains, taking his brother and sister places, hanging out with his friends, and, of course, spending his free time playing video games while chatting with his buddies.

He was a friend to all, but he shared a deep, brotherly connection with the group of friends he had been gaming with since they were about 13 years old. This group has shown the strongest bond of friendship imaginable, deeply impressing his entire family.

At work, he quickly became an important part of the Jemez Mountain Public Schools family, where he was affectionately known as the “jito” of the office.

He was preceded in death by his two older brothers, T.J. and Kenneth Sanchez; his paternal grandparents, Liberato “Lee” and Onofre Sanchez; his grandfather, Isaac F. Trujillo; and his maternal grandfather, Larry Senear.

Shawn is survived by his parents, Tomas and Kellie Sanchez; his brother, Miguel Sanchez; and his sister, Janae Sanchez, all of Regina; his grandmother, Lydia Sanchez of Gallina; his maternal grandmother, Linda Senear of Aztec, and his aunts and uncles: Joann (Eloy) Montoya and Julianna (Xavier) Garcia of Espanola, Isaac Trujillo, Norma Sanchez, and Ruby Martinez of Gallina, Wendy Hays and Amanda Senear of Aztec, and Jeff Senear of Minnesota. He is also survived by two special cousins who were like sisters to him, Leticia Salazar and Dyvine Rivera, alongside many other loving friends and relatives.

Our family would like to extend a special thank you to Alex, Steven, Kenny, Justin, and Georgie for being there for him before he passed, to all the family that visited and to all of his other friends and coworkers for the phone calls. It truly meant a lot to him.

A Funeral Service will take place on Friday June 5, 2026, at 11:00 am at the Christian Faith Fellowship in Gallina.

The family of Shawn Robert Sanchez has entrusted the care of their loved one to the De Vargas Funeral Home and Crematory of the Espanola Valley 505-747-7477.