Joseph Gallegos Obituary

Joseph "Robert" Frank Gallegos, 81, passed away on July 24, 2025, in Northglenn, CO, after

a long battle with cancer.

Born March 24, 1944, in Plaza de Los Valdeses, CO, he was the youngest child of Frank and

Rose Gallegos. A proud graduate of Del Norte High School and Adams State College, Robert

devoted his life to education. He taught Spanish and Latin in Johnstown, CO, and on the Navajo

Reservation in Shiprock, NM. He later served as Bilingual Director in Cortez and Commerce

City, contributing to the first English-Ute dictionary. He held multiple leadership roles in Adams

County School District 50 from 1979–2007 and led Berkeley Gardens Elementary to the

Governor's Award for Most Improved School in 2002.

After retiring, he worked as a Spanish-English interpreter and Discipline Officer in multiple

districts. Robert was also an artist, musician, and devoted husband.

He is survived by his loving wife, Catherine Rice-Gallegos, and his sisters Alicia Ensminger

and Barbara Millard of Layton, Utah. He also leaves behind his children: Robin (Tim)

Wiggins, Roberta Gallegos, and Leah Smock; his step-children: Cammie Newmyer, Daniel

(Kate) Newmyer, and Crista (Sam) Newmyer-Olsen; his grandchildren: Jacob (Mayte)

Gallegos, Patience Wiggins, and Cameron Smock; a great-grandchild expected in

September 2025; and his great step-children: Miranda (Matt) Mangum, Caleb Draves, Morgan

(Christina) Hart, William and Presley Wilson, Andrew Newmyer, Chloe Newmyer, and Jonathan

Olsen.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Rose Gallegos; his granddaughter,

Ashley Dunn; his son-in-law, James Smock, his step-daughter Teresa Draves, and his great

step-daughter Alexie Echo-Hawk. Cremation was chosen, and burial will be at Monte Vista

Cemetery. A dedication was held July 27 at Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Aurora.

Joseph "Robert" Frank Gallegos, age 81, went to his eternal home on July 24, 2025. He passed

in Northglenn, Colorado, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Robert was born on March 24, 1944, in the small Spanish village of Plaza de Los Valdeses,

Colorado. He was the only son and youngest child of Frank J. Gallegos and Rose Ann Martinez.

His father worked as a laborer on local farms to support the war effort and later as a carpenter,

house painter, and manager of a potato warehouse in Monte Vista, CO. His mother was a

dedicated homemaker.

Robert attended school in Del Norte, CO. When he began his education, he was monolingual,

which made his first three years particularly challenging. During high school, Mr. Dominic

Nazzaro, the band instructor, selected him to be the drum major of the Dipsy Doodle Marching

Band. Wearing a tailored white uniform, Robert proudly led the band for four years, during which

they earned numerous top awards.

After graduating from Del Norte High School in 1962, he attended Adams State College, earning

a degree in Secondary Education in 1966 with an emphasis in Spanish and Latin and minors in

Sociology and Anthropology.

He began his teaching career in Johnstown, Northern Colorado. For the next eight years, he

taught Spanish and Latin and coached football and track on the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock,

New Mexico. He then became the Bilingual Director at Cortez High School, where he developed

a groundbreaking trilingual program in Spanish, Ute, and Navajo-later known as the SUN

Project. His work contributed to the publication of the first English-Ute dictionary in 1975.

Robert later moved to Commerce City, CO, to serve as the Bilingual Director. He earned a

Master's Degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a Type-D Administrator's License

from the University of Colorado.

From 1979 through 2007, he served in Adams County School District 50 in Westminster, CO,

holding various leadership positions including Bilingual Director, Director of Elementary

Education, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Executive Director of Student

Services, and Principal of Berkeley Gardens Elementary School. Under his leadership, Berkeley

Gardens received the Governor's Award for Most Improved School in 2002 through a successful

literacy initiative.

After retiring from District 50 in 2007, Robert remained active as a Spanish-English interpreter

for Adams D50, D12, D14, and Mapleton D1 school districts. He also served as the Discipline

Officer for Mapleton D1.

In addition to his career in education, Robert was an accomplished artist and musician who

cherished time with his wife, Catherine.

He is survived by his loving wife, Catherine Rice-Gallegos, and his sisters Alicia Ensminger and

Barbara Millard of Layton, Utah. He also leaves behind his children: Robin (Tim) Wiggins,

Roberta Gallegos, and Leah Smock; his step-children: Cammie Newmyer, Daniel (Kate)

Newmyer, and Crista (Sam) Newmyer-Olsen; his grandchildren: Jacob (Mayte) Gallegos,

Patience Wiggins, and Cameron Smock; and his great step-children: Miranda (Matt) Mangum,

Caleb Draves, Morgan (Christina) Hart, William and Presley Wilson, Andrew Newmyer, Chloe

Newmyer, and Jonathan Olsen; a great-grandchild expected in September 2025 and great

step-grandchildren: Jubilee, Malachi, Elora, Zebulon, Melody and Genevieve Mangum.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Rose Gallegos; his son-in-law, James

Smock; his step-daughter Teresa Draves; his granddaughter, Ashley Dunn; and his step-

granddaughter Alexie Echo-Hawk.

He chose cremation and will be laid to rest at a future date in Monte Vista Cemetery, next to his

parents. A special dedication for Robert Gallegos was held at Divine Mercy Catholic Church in

Aurora, CO, on July 27, 2025, officiated by Fr. Jason VanBorssum.