Richard Lee Archuleta

Richard (Dick) Archuleta May 19, 1931-December 28, 2019
A life well lived. Dick Archuleta, 88, of Aurora, Co. passed away on December 28, 2019. A Colorado native, he was born in Las Animas, Co. to Steve and Maclovia Archuleta. He was one of five sons. After attending high school in Las Animas, and college briefly, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He served honorably as a naval photographer for reconnaissance & intelligence aboard the USS Boxer and the USS Yorktown during the Korean conflict years. Upon his discharge from the Navy, Dick returned to Las Animas where he met his future wife, Kathleen Erin Connor. They married in 1955 and raised their family of six children, Kathy, Janice (husband Del), Judy, Steven, Rebecca, Matthew (wife Michelle) and one big black dog "Rufus" in Aurora, Co.
Dick worked as a barber for more than 40 years, most of those years at his own shop "Dick's Place" on 6th Avenue in Denver. He greatly enjoyed the conversations and joking with the wide variety of personalities and professions of his regular clients. He was well-read and kept up on current events, having opinions about everything. He loved to play devil's advocate in discussions, injecting his style of humor, wit and a bit of sarcasm into the conversation.
A beloved husband (58 years) and father, Dick and his wife Erin were both actively involved in raising their children. He patiently taught multiple teenagers (among other useful things) how to drive a car, how to fix their used cars, how to select a good board at the lumber yard, which direction to pitch a tent so your head is uphill, how to build a fire, how to compose photography shots, how to watch the night skies for night hawks and shooting stars and how to make awesome green chili. Dick enjoyed fishing all around the state with relatives as he was growing up, then taking his entire family (yah, lots of kids) on camping and fishing trips. He enjoyed golfing whenever and wherever possible. He was strong, courageous and adventurous both as a person and as a parent.
Dick deeply loved his wife Erin and took great care of her before she passed in 2013. He raised his children to be honest, strong, kind, caring, good adults. He and Erin sacrificed and worked hard to see that all six of their children graduated college. Although he will be profoundly missed, his influence on his children and their children will carry on his legacy. He is survived by all of his children, his brother George (wife Dianna) of Utah, eight grandchildren, six great grandchildren and numerous other relatives. He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and brothers Stephen Jr, David, and Juma.