Richard Merino
Rich was born on November 15, 1945, to Carmen and Lionel Merino. Who preceded him in death, along with his sisters Dee-Dee Caroll and Becky Reeves.
He attended grade school in Trinidad and his high school years were at Trinidad High School, from which he graduated in 1964. He then attended Trinidad Junior College, but college was cut short when Rich proudly volunteered and joined the United States Marine Corps. He served two tours in Vietnam from 1965 to 1969. Consequently, he suffered the deadly effects of Agent Orange for the past twenty years until his passing.
Rich married Antonia Lee Soriano of Denver on April 29, 1972. Together, they built a life based on love and faith and were blessed with a loving son, Richard Jr., on January 20, 1975. He loved sports and was an avid Broncos and Nuggets fan. Rich loved and excelled in golf, a sport he played. He qualified three times for the National Golf Championships, which he was very proud of.
Rich will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Antonia, and his familia: son Rick; daughter-in-law Olive; grandson Antonio; granddaughters-in-law Olivia, Riviera, and Miriah; brother Fred Masero Jr.; and sister in-law Tami. He had many cousins, nieces, and nephews; numerous loving and wonderful lifetime friends, that he enjoyed bowling and playing golf with.
Through it all, Rich and Toni enjoyed many awesome years of retirement in their beloved Trinidad. “He truly came home.”
A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 1 pm at Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home. Entombment will follow at the Trinidad Catholic Cemetery. The family has entrusted Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home with the arrangements.
