Vicente Francisco Arroyo Jr.

Vicente Francisco Arroyo Jr. October 4, 1925 - January 16, 2015 Vicente Francisco “Rocky” Arroyo was born on October 4, 1925 to Austreberta and Vicente Arroyo in El Paso, TX. The youngest of three sons, he was an accomplished athlete, gifted student, and successful businessman. He was also extremely dedicated to his family. Vicente graduated from El Paso High School at the age of sixteen and attended the University of New Mexico (UNM) where he received a degree in electrical engineering. He also lettered in basketball, baseball and football at UNM. During that time, Vicente was given the nickname “Rocky” by the UNM athletic director Blanco White. Because he had a background in both basketball and mathematics, he was hired in 1947 at Our Lady of Sorrows High School in Bernalillo, NM as a teacher and coach. He built a basketball team that, despite the school’s small size and lack of resources, won the District 3 championships three years in a row (1951, 1952, 1953). During this time he continued a semi-professional athletic career in Mexico, travelling to Cuba to play against the Harlem Globetrotters and to London to represent Mexico in the 1948 Olympics. He was the very first basketball coach at Valley High School, where he again taught mathematics. Although he loved teaching and athletics, Vicente chose to pursue a career as an engineer at Sandia National Laboratories. After retiring from Sandia, he had a very successful business career and founded several companies. He continued to be involved with athletics in various roles as a coach, educator and referee. He refereed high school championship games and also officiated numerous college football bowl games including the Peach, Japan, Fiesta, and Rose Bowls. Though Vicente was known for athletics and his careers, what he cared about most and what gave him the most pride was his large family. He married Alice Hernández in 1948 and together, they had seven children. He lost his beloved Alice in 1974 to breast cancer. He later married Leonella Ortíz who had two children of her own, and then together they had one child. Surrounded by family in his home, Vicente peacefully passed away on January 16, 2015. Vicente will be remembered as a family man, mentor, coach and friend. He was recognized everywhere he went, and acclaimed for bringing victory to a school that did not at the time have an indoor basketball court. His family has always been especially gratified by the love shown to him by the people of Bernalillo, where he continues to be remembered as a hero. Vicente was also an avid golfer and a recognized figure in the local golfing community. He will be inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame on March 1, 2015. Vicente is survived by his loving and caring wife of 39 years, Leonella Arroyo, children Vince and Ruby Arroyo, Kathy and Eli Padilla, Sylvia and Rudy Nolasco, Bill and Joyce Arroyo, Aileen Arroyo, Carmen and Rick Trujillo, Andrew Arroyo, Chris and Sarah Arroyo, Martha Arroyo, Stephany and Jeffry Jones as well as 23 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Additionally, he is survived by a large, extended family who live across the country. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Ernesto and Hector Arroyo, his daughter Carmen Alicia Arroyo, his wife Alice Arroyo, his son Craig Anthony Arroyo and granddaughter Laura Kathleen Padilla. A rosary will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 7:00 pm at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 5712 Paradise Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 10:00 am, also at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Casa Esperanza, which supports families facing cancer, at PO Box 40472, Albuquerque, NM 87196-0472 www.casanm.org or to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico at 3333 Truman St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 at www.bgccnm.org. In an effort to collect memories, photos and stories about his life, please visit and contribute to his memorial website www.forevermissed.com/vicente-rocky-arroyo. Because of his nomination to the NM Sports Hall of Fame, Vicente has recently been recognized in two local publications: www.dukecityfix.com/profiles/blogs/academic-sports-hero-rocky-arroyo-six-others-named-to-nm-sports http://nmshof.com/vicente-arroyo/