Antonio (Tony) Sisneros

Antonio (Tony) Albert Sisneros 81, of Santa Fe, New Mexico passed away from a lengthy illness on March 2, 2023. He was born on June 12, 1941, to Laura and Amadeo Sisneros of Santa Fe, New Mexico. His family includes wife Genevieve and three sons:  Beloved son Stanley, wife Tina and their son Marcus, wife Ava; beloved son Anthony; and beloved son Mario, stepchildren Halima, husband Emerson; Shakura; Aloisha, companion Ruby; and son Alan; his brothers Richard Sisneros, wife, Nora (both deceased); Arturo Jaramillo, wife, Judy; Joe Sisneros, wife Emelda Sisneros; Bobby Sisneros, good friend Candace Leffer;  sister, Geraldine (Gerri) Sisneros. A mass and rosary will be celebrated at Santa Maria de la Paz Catholic Church in Santa Fe on April 28. Rosary at 9:30 A.M. Mass at 10:00 A.M. Reception will be at the parish hall following the mass.

Tony attended both Santa Fe High and St. Michael's High School where he was a star football player. When he graduated, he went to Connecticut where he worked tarring roads and also worked as a Good Humor Man. However, he didn't last long at either job. He was working faster and better at tarring the roads than the other workers. They did not appreciate it and started a fight with him. At Good Humor he was giving away too much of the ice cream to poor children who would only have a penny. 

At the end of the summer he told his older brother Joe that he didn’t want to go to college, he would rather work and get a car. Joe gave him his 47 Chevy fleetline car. Tony went on to graduate from the College of Santa Fe with an accounting degree. As a sophomore he met his wife, Genevieve; they married when he was a senior and had their first son on his graduation day. They were married for 58 years. Tony worked for the New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department as an auditor and later became the Director of Internal Audit. He retired after 25 years of service to the State of New Mexico.

Tony always told his family that he received a message from God to help others and he lived to fulfill that calling. Tony was selfless and worked hard every day to make a comfortable life for his family. His family and friends knew him as a very kind and loving man. Tony loved sports, especially football, basketball, baseball, tennis, and boxing. If he wasn't watching sports, he was watching western shows.

Tony grew up very tough in what was then a poor neighborhood. In front of his house, on the way to his first school dance, wearing brand new jeans, he was jumped by 4 "pachucos"  carrying 2x4’s. That was a big mistake, for them. He beat the  'heck' out of all of them. Limping, he ran after them as they scattered with far more injuries than they gave him. With bruised legs and ruined jeans he continued on to the dance that night. (true story). As a young teenager, Tony once 'acquired' some boxes of roller skates from a warehouse near his home and shared them with his friends. His roller skates subsequently broke and his friends would not let him use the ones he gave them. They called him "water gun Tony'' because he 'acquired'  some water guns from a local store. He shared them with his friends. Needless to say, he had many friends.

Tony loved the outdoors. He especially enjoyed going camping and fishing with family and friends. Tony loved exercise and was always very physically fit and at one time ran ten miles a day four to 6 days a week. Tony was not known to cuss. He would only cuss on very rare occasions. The words ``son of a biscuttee,” were uttered around his children in lieu of actual curse words and they stood in shock when a true curse word was used. Tony became a devout Catholic. He read extensively about his faith, took some home classes and even attended a Cursillo to enrich his understanding of Catholicism. Tony had a strong belief in God and shared that conviction with everyone he knew. Tony always made his family a priority and loved them unconditionally. Tony took a personal interest in people he knew and would mentor them if they needed or asked for help. Tony was generous to a fault and very forgiving.

A few years ago Tony was diagnosed with a rare blood disease. It gradually left him weak and unable to walk. He could not attend mass so he and his wife Genevieve watched Sunday mass on TV. His wife's niece and Godchild Suzette Gonzales, came all the way from Rio Rancho to bring them the Holy Eucharist, and discuss the gospel with them. The visit ended with a spiritual song memorized that week by his wife especially for that visit.

Before his illness, Tony took much pleasure in simple things like watering his fruit trees wearing his usual attire consisting of a t-shirt, shorts and cowboy boots with tube socks. 

If there is an orchard in heaven, a guy wearing a t-shirt, shorts and cowboy boots with tube socks is taking care of them just like he cared for his family and friends in his sincere and unpretentious way.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church Soup Kitchen at 1301 Osage Ave, Santa Fe NM 87505.

To view information or leave a condolence please visit www.garciamortuary.com 

Garcia Mortuary

717 Stover Ave. SW

Albuquerque, NM 87102

505-243-5222