Mike Raymond Tafoya

Mike Tafoya, age 86, a loving brother and uncle, passed away on June 15th, 2024.
He was born on Christmas day 1937 to Louis and Lela Tafoya and lived most of his life in Rawlins Wyoming. He also lived-in Denver Colorado, Albuquerque New Mexico for short periods of time. He returned to Rawlins to help take care of his aging parents in the house where he grew up. After the passing of his parents, he continued to live in the family home until a couple of months before he passed.
He continued to work a few days a week as a custodian until the age of 84 to keep himself busy. He enjoyed visiting with family and friends and would often cut their hair while they visited. Never going to a barber himself instead cutting his own hair. To entertain himself he loved to go shopping. He would go to the stores in Rawlins to shop and visit people he knew while he was there. In the summer he traveled to visit his sister Alice in Colorado where the two of them would go with his nieces to yard sails and the Denver Flea Market. He enjoyed shopping so much, that is what he did on his last day of life.
He also, loved to play guitar (self-taught left-handed). Turning the strings around on a right-handed guitar he enjoyed singing and playing with his partner Gena. The two of them would go to Saratoga Wyoming to the hot spring every day they could. After her passing he continued to go to the Saratoga to enjoy the hot spring
Going out to eat with friends and family was always a treat for him. When his niece brought him salsa, that she canned, it was gone in a day or two.
Survived by Alice Verna Forshey and Julia Josaphine Gonzalas and many nephews and nieces.
Proceeded in death by parents Louis Tafoya and Lela Tafoya, brothers Joe Espinoza, Franky Tafoya, Ray Tafoya, Lloyd Tafoya, Leo (Johnny) Tafoya and sisters Cora Turner, Sadie Tafoya, Julia Tafoya, Elvira Rodriguez. Nephews Robert Espinoza, Gabriel McGehee, Lawrence Espinoza, Niece Shella Edrington (Espinoza) and longtime partner Gena Apolinar.
He loved life, God and his family. He will be missed.
A celebration of life will be held later this summer.