Miguel "Mike" Felipe Salazar

Miguel “Mike” Felipe Salazar, 74, a native of Santa Fe, NM was called by our Lord and Savior to be with his loving wife and parents. Mike was born May 7, 1946 in Santa Fe, NM to Phillip R. and Mable K. (Duran) Salazar. He will always be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend to all who knew him.

Mike entered eternal rest on February 11, 2021. He is survived by his sons: Christopher Salazar and Steven Gann; Grandchildren: Johnathan Salazar, Steven and Brianna Gann; Brothers: Ricky and Jimmy Salazar; other loving family members and friends.

Mike attended grade school at Central Elementary in Los Alamos, NM and graduated from Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe, NM in 1964 where he was highly active in football and wrestling. Mike attended the College of Santa Fe and was honored for Outstanding Graduate of the Department of Education in 1975. Mike earned his Master’s Degree at Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM in 1979.

Mike met his loving wife, Shirley K. Beckett at Fort Hood (Killeen, TX) where they married on September 16, 1967. Mike and Shirley were joined in loving wedlock for 34 years, until her untimely death on September 16, 2001.

Mike joined the US Army in 1964, where he was a tank driver of the M60A1. He was deployed to Vietnam in January 1966. He was a Caribou Fixed Wing Airplane Mechanic. He returned home in 1967 and continued to drive tanks at Fort Hood, TX. His service ended in 1968. He joined the National Guard in Santa Fe, NM as a Crew Chief on HU-1 (Huey) in 1977. He was commissioned in 1980 as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and became active duty in 1983, where he spent most of his military service in Santa Fe, NM and El Paso, TX. In 1990 he became the Assistant Professor of Military Science and then Acting Professor of Military Science for UTEP, University of Texas – El Paso in 1993. He retired from active duty as a Major in 1997 and taught JR ROTC at Austin High School in El Paso, TX.

Mike enjoyed refereeing high school basketball and football. He also volunteered much of his time helping patients and family members at Brook Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, TX.

Mike will be laid to rest alongside his wife, Shirley at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery.

GRAVESIDE

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

2:30 PM

FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

1520 HARRY WURZBACH