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At 98, Gilbert Lopez died at his home here on August 3. Funeral services were held August 20 followed by burial in San Ysidro Cemetery across from the Old Church. Born in Corrales in 1923, Lopez was a fixture in community life here for decades, including serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission in the late 1990s.
He was the son of Perfecto and Anita Lopez. After graduating from Albuquerque High in 1941, he enlisted in the Coast Guard during World War II, serving more than three years until the war’s end. That experience led to his eventual career in electrical engineering.
On GI Bill benefits, Lopez earned a bachelor of science degree at the University of New Mexico in 1949. With that training, he worked for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs until his retirement in 1980. He also ran his own electrical engineering firm.Â
He was active in the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the N.M. Society of Professional Engineers and the Illuminating Engineers. He is survived by sons Ronald and Patrick Lopez; daughters Loretta Perea and Joyce Lesperance and many grand-children.