Jason Andrew Gates

1976 - 2026

Jason Andrew Gates passed away on the morning of January 5, 2026, just two weeks shy of his 50th birthday.

Jason was born on January 17, 1976, in Tucson, Arizona. Larger than life, he was passionate about cars, boats, and spending time at Elephant Butte Lake, his favorite place, where many of his favorite memories were made. Summers at the lake with family shaped his lifelong love of the water, fishing, and adventure & even his wedding on September 15, 2024. Known for his humor and enthusiasm, Jason earned the nickname "Lake Boss" for his elaborate beach setups and unforgettable lake days.

Jason had a huge heart and would often help out complete strangers with anything such as groceries for a single mom in the grocery store parking lot to pulling many beachgoers out of being stuck on the beach, even pulling a woman from her burning car just before it blew up. He would talk to anyone and everyone. Trips to the store, gas station or the boat ramp would often require an extra hour or two for this reason.

Jason built a remarkable career in automotive sales. He was widely respected for his work ethic, professionalism, and dedication to his customers, many of whom became lifelong friends at Mercedes of Tucson & Lexus of Albuquerque. He helped build from the ground up National Auto Sales in Los Lunas with his hard construction work and then finally at Mercedes of Albuquerque.

Jason is survived by his wife, Jan Froeschle; his sons, Gavyn and Landon; his mother, Claudia Reames; his father, Charlie Gates; his stepmother, Leticia Gates; his sisters, Wendy Townsend (Billy), Marnie Ackerman (Jim), and Carrie Bierner (Adam); his nephews Kyle (Casey) and Ethan; his nieces Jaden and Zella; and many extended family members and even more friends.

He will be greatly missed.

A celebration of Jason's life will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Sierra del Rio Golf Club in Elephant Butte, New Mexico.