Billy Cleo Duran

Our beloved Billy Duran, 90 years old, passed away on December 9, 2025. He was born the middle child of Bersabe and Dionicio Duran's nine children, on March 25, 1935. He was born and raised in the beautiful village of Rio Lucio, a 'suburb' of Penasco, New Mexico, in the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Billy is preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Delia Garcia, Onesimo Duran, Lorraine Duran Burns, Alberto Duran and Clarence Duran; his mother and father-in-law, Antonio and Asencion Romero and his beloved grandson Little Leo Guerra.

Billy is survived by his wonderful wife Dora Duran (Romero); his loving children Pamela Guerra (Leo, Sr.), Charles Duran, Anthony Duran and Carmen Duran; his eight grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren; his brother Frank Duran, his sisters, Luisa Duran and Dolores Duran Klingbeil; his Romero sister in law and eight brothers in law; his many extended Romero and Duran Family nieces and nephews who all loved their Uncle Billy.

Our Billy had a wonderful life and left us with a wonderful legacy. Billy was raised with the strong values of love, service, hard work, resilience, respect, and faith for God, Country, Community and Family.

As Billy grew up, he helped his family, neighbors, church, school, and community with the hard work of making a living from their small farms and ranches. Billy graduated from Penasco High School as his Senior Class President in 1954. After High School Billy worked in the Colorado mines for three years with his brother Onesimo. In 1958, Billy joined the US Air Force (as three of his siblings had also done) and served for twenty years. He served our Country in four US Military bases, Spain and in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive in 1968.

In 1962 Billy came on leave to marry his sweetheart Dora and took her to Spain for three years where Pamela and Charlie were born. They came back to the States and Anthony and Carmen were born. They were married for sixty-three years.

After his military career Billy served as a firefighter in the Los Alamos Fire Department, the Kirtland Fire Department, and the Albuquerque Fire Department. During this time, he earned an associate degree in Fire Safety and Technology. Before the fire departments Billy worked at Cutter Aviation for a short time.

Billy was an excellent cook since his younger days in Penasco, so after retiring from the Fire Department, he and his family opened a STUFY'S Restaurant in Albuquerque for twelve years.

Billy was also a good builder and construction worker since his teenage years. He helped build two extra rooms in his parents' house as well as his Dad Dionico's Rio Lucio Bar. He was a very handyman fixing anything and everything for the Church, School, and his good neighbors. So, after Stufy's he became the handyman for his children and brothers and sisters until Dora told him to stop and smell the roses.

Billy and Dora enjoyed their last years passing the time together, traveling a little, and spoiling their lovely little gang of munchkins.

Thank you God for Billy, yours and our faithful servant and veteran who did so much for God and Country, Family and Friends. We will hold Billy in our hearts and minds and remember a person with a beautiful life and legacy flying now "Into the Wild Blue Yonder" to make more chicharrónes with his heavenly family.

Services will be held on December 30, 2025, at Our Lady of The Assumption Catholic Church, 811 Guaymas Pl. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108

Viewing: 10:00am

Rosary: 10:30am

Mass: 11:00am

Burial: Santa Fe National Cemetery at 2:30pm

Reception to follow at Sandia Resort and Casino Eagle Ballroom