Mary Ann Mincic, age 92, of Hoehne lived her life by the motto, “Never say whoa in a horse race,” and true to form she peacefully rode over the finish line on the evening of February 13, 2021. Born to the original chuckwagon cook of the Trinidad Roundup Labor Day celebration, John Paul Arnet and Nellie May (Sater) Arnet on May 28th 1928, Mary Ann grew up in a rock house homestead with her sisters on the sheep ranch now located on the east side of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site. She often spoke of those days long ago when she rode in the wagon with her father from camp to camp checking the herders, dressing the cat in her sister’s doll clothes, (much to Joann’s disapproval), and of the colorful people of the area.
Mary Ann attended Holy Trinity and upon graduating in 1946, she studied accounting at TSJC where she played basketball when girls only played half court with six players on the court. For a time afterward she worked as the secretary for a lawyer’s office on Main Street until she moved home to the ranch. As she would say, “In those days there were dances that rotated from school house to school house and we hurried up and did our chores and took a bath and went to the dance.” In 1948 it was at one of these dances she met her husband Charles “Chuck” Mincic. Her sister had originally caught his eye and he intended on asking her to dance but found Mary Ann instead. They were married on December 16th, 1948 and raised 3 children, cattle, sheep , horses on the ranch at Pinon Canyon until they were displaced by the US Corp of Engineers to create the maneuver site. They then moved to the farm in Hoehne. She drove the school bus for Hoehne for nearly 30 years after which, she retired to her garden. During the course of her life she was heavily involved in the Las Animas Cowbells, serving 2 terms as their elected president and the in Trinidad Art league. Mary Ann was an extremely talented artist, painting decorative eggs and paintings with the flowers, animals, and western scenes she loved so much from the canyons and prairies she knew. She could be found either at her art desk, in her impressive flower beds, or nursing some critter back to health.
She is survived by three children, Wayne Mincic, Trinidad, Skeeter(Grace) Mincic, Trindad, and Mary Pettis, Hoehne, four grandchildren, Clayton Mincic, Ft. Collins, Mariah (Ricardo) Chacon, San Angelo, TX, Tyrel Mincic-Barry, Hoehne and Wyatt Mincic, La Junta, and one great grandchild Jackson Chacon, San Angelo, TX. Sister, Clara (Babe) Newton, Hot Springs, AK. She is also survived by a great number of nieces, nephews and all their children from both sides of her family whom she referred to as the “Mincic Bunch”, the “Crowder Bunch”, the “Gibson Bunch”, and the “Newton Bunch”, as well as brother-in-law Tony (Theresa) Mincic of Westminster and sister-in-law Lenore Mincic of Katy, TX. Preceding her in death are her husband Chuck Mincic, her parents, John Paul and Nellie May Arnet, son-in-law Byron Pettis, sister Patricia Joann “Sarge” (Bill) Gibson, brothers and sisters-in-law Chuck Newton, Lee and Louise Mincic, John and Rosie Mincic, Nick Mincic, and Pete Mincic.
In these uncertain times services will be postponed and held at the family farm in Hoehne at a date to be set by her family. Her final resting place will be on the Hill overlooking the ranch that was always so dear to her and remained vivid to her throughout her days.
Arrangements for Mary Anne Mincic are under the direction of the Comi Funeral Home of Trinidad.
