John E Mares

John Edward Mares, Jr., 82, passed away at his home on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. John was born on October 10, 1943 in Fort Morgan, CO to John Edward Mares, Sr. and Norma Mares (Pollock-Pflager).

He is predeceased by his parents, brother Michael, ex-wife Kathy Henness Mares, wife Sadie Archuleta Mares, daughter Karla, and son John E Mares, III.

John is survived by his sister, Cheryl Mares; brother, Jack Pflager; six grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild, as well as many cousins.

After graduating high school and attending Trinidad State College, he served in the US Army as a military policeman in Germany. After returning home, he married Kathy Henness (twice!), with whom he had two children, Karla and John III.

John was a man of many trades; he mainly worked in construction, as a security guard, and as a truck driver before retiring as Supervisor of Custodial Service at Fort Lewis College, where he met and married Sadie Archuleta. After retiring, they made the move from Ignacio, CO to Aztec, NM. They were happily married and after Sadie's passing in 2018, John moved to Virginia to be with his son John, granddaughters Krystina Pollard, Jessica Prine, and their mother Melissa, granddaughter Kayla Mares, and great-grandchildren Vivianne and Luke Pollard, Shawn Mares, and Lilly, E. J., and Blake Prine.

Any free time he had was spent being a cowboy with his horses, watching Westerns, and cheering on the Denver Broncos. Anyone who knew John knew his gift for telling stories and his love for making everyone laugh. John had a heart of gold and will be greatly missed. A celebration of his life will be held in Colorado at a later date. Condolences may be made to the family at www.omanfh.com.