Kristine (Tina) Trujillo was born July 31, 1938. She passed away on November 26th, 2020.
She was a stunning, fiercely-stubborn, complex, mischievous, sophisticated coal miner’s daughter. A daddy’s girl from a little mining town called Dawson, New Mexico. She was a fighter, a force to be reckoned with, a brilliant fire that could not be quenched. People gravitated to her because of her rare combination of a dynamic and lively disposition paired with an approachable and vulnerable character. She was an eloquent brush stroke of vibrant paint on a grey canvas.
The absolute love of her life was her husband Richard. At the tender age of fifteen he dropped a diamond ring in her soda and proposed at The Sweet Shop in downtown Raton. They were married in the fall of 1955. Her dad had told Richard, when they married, that he wouldn’t be able to keep her in toilet paper. Richard far exceeded her dad’s high expectations. He was the perfect (and when I say perfect, I mean perfect) compliment to her vivacious personality. The Bible says “iron sharpens iron” and that would be an accurate depiction of their relationship. At times she could have strangled him which would have been totally justified and completely understandable. Together they wrote one of the most beautiful love stories ever told. Their love affair spanned more than six decades and brought three gorgeous children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren to fruition. True love never fails.
The countless lessons she modeled for us will live on for generations. She was an outstanding mother who taught her daughters that a little lipstick goes along way, that confidence is better than any expensive perfume and that hard work is non-negotiable. She knew her value and she taught us ours. She enjoyed a well-made margarita, a good pair of diamond earrings and a worthy opponent, whether on the pool table or in life. She also loved the smell of clean laundry, a good pickle sandwich, and her God.
She suffered the loss of her treasured son Richard Trujillo Jr. of Raton, New Mexico, which broke her heart. She left behind a slew of people that loved her dearly. She was survived by her biggest fan, her husband Richard Trujillo Sr. of Raton, New Mexico whose love for her cannot be quenched by something as trivial as death. Her darling daughter Debra Ann Saul and incredibly witty husband Kim Saul of Fort Collins Colorado. Her cherished daughter Kristi Don Peterson and impossibly handsome husband Kris Peterson of Moscow, Idaho and many, many above-average and good-looking grandchildren and great grandchildren. We will miss her every day.
Finally, she would want you to know that she lived a full life on her terms, in her time, according to her principles, and you know what? She did it magnificently!
Arrangements have been entrusted to Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow, ID and condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.com
