Jeremiah Thomas De La Pena

Jeremiah was a kind and introspective man. Always thinking about how to make life a little brighter for himself and those around him. Often the first to help someone in need. He did not seek to be the center of attention, rather he observed others and tried to embody change to become a better version of himself. He was a selfless man, who cared for his family greatly. Which could be seen in the loving way he cared for his siblings. He sought fulfillment by throwing himself into his ever changing passions. He was a man with strong opinions, but was always open to others perspectives seeking to constantly grow. Jeremiah’s ambitions exceeded his young age and he was always reaching for the stars.

He was born on April 2, 2001 at the University of New Mexico Hospital (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was the son of Adrian Walker and Louie De La Peña. He was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada. Always ready with a good joke, he grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Jeremiah might describe him as an idealist, his friends and family understood well that he was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to him.

He was raised with five siblings. He had two younger sisters, Avery and Brielle, and three younger brothers, Breyden, Josiah, and Noah. He was very accepting and supportive of his family. He was perceived as the central person in his family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, he was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served him well in his adult life and, along with his wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew him.

As a young boy, Jeremiah was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew him into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. He was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with his peers. He was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. He took part in swimming and bike riding. He was a Boy Scout. In his spare time he liked building Legos, playing video games, and fort building. His memorable achievements included helping those in need. He had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity he and the many childhood friends he shared might discover.

He graduated from Atrisco Heritage Academy High School in 2018. He enjoyed some classes more than others and generally did well in his courses. He absorbed as much as he could from all of his teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using his imagination to master his assignments. Classmates considered him a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to him to discuss just about anything. His favorite class in high school was math. The teacher he enjoyed learning from the most was Mrs. Conhran his Biology teacher.

With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought him an endless stream of friends, he was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, he was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. He always seemed aware of what was going on with people around him and throughout his life he made many, many friends. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jerome Irwin, Julian and Paris Harmon, Gabe and Jordan Preuss. Later in life, he became friends with Marlenne Mauricio, Liliana Muniz, Mike and Amy Avila from church.

He was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made him an exceptional worker. His primary occupation was Sales Manager in Health and Wellness. He was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize him. He had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of his gift for insight. His fellow workers saw him as a supporter and a mentor.

Because Jeremiah loved to have a broad variety of activities in his life, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. His favorite pursuits were video games, and seeing new places with friends. He had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of his favorite pastimes. However, his ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

His charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. Recreational sports included swimming, bike riding, and nature walks.

Because he was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, he always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. His gift of planning and improvisation made him a great asset. He found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. He was an active member of several community groups, serving on committees for the Community Volunteering with church.

He was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member Rodeo Road Baptist and the New Soul Baptist church. During that time, he was an usher and a dedicated volunteer. He was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and he used these qualities to the fullest while working for his beliefs.

His love of improvising in his daily life was a perfect fit for his enjoyment of spending quality time with family and friends. His favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit his personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, he cherished his favorite vacations which included Disneyland and trips Arizona.

He was a lover of animals and despite his allergies he cherished his pets. Bella, a Maltipoo dog, was a faithful companion for 7 years. Some of his beloved childhood pets were "meow meow" the cat, Spencer, a Blue Chihuahua, Sammy, a Chinese Cresent Powder Puff, dog, all who brought him much joy and laughter.

Jeremiah De La Pena passed away on December 28, 2021 at Las Vegas, Nevada. He is survived by his mother and father, Adrian Walker and Louie De La Peña, his brothers and sisters, Breyden and Brielle Walker, Josiah, Noah, and Avery De La Peña. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary. Jeremiah's ashes were divided into two urns for his mother and father.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Jeremiah. He was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. He was clever, creative, witty, and a joy to be around. While he was often independent, it seemed as if many others looked to him for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. He was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with his loved ones.