Howard Franklin Fahrion, a long-time resident of Chama, N.M., passed away on May 19. He was born in Bayfield, Colo., on April 9, 1931, the son of Clifford and Georgia Fahrion, whose families were pioneers in the ranching communities of southwestern Colorado. His fraternal grandfather came to Colorado as a young boy on a cattle drive and later became the Silverton town marshal. His maternal great-grandparents came into the area in their covered wagons.
He grew up playing basketball. He went to Mesa College in Grand Junction on a basketball scholarship, stayed two years and decided he liked roping better. He loved working cattle and helping his father breed and raise quarter horses by his father’s stud horse Cowboy P12, one of the early sires in the American Quarter Horse Association bloodlines.
After serving four years in the Air Force during the Korean War, he returned home to become the livestock manager for the Jicarilla Apache Tribe and later had the same job for NAPI in Farmington.
He was an avid reader of western history and poetry, remembered everything he read and often quoted his favorites. We will miss his incredible memory and his sharp wit.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Don, and youngest son, Howard Don. He is survived by his longtime partner, the love of his life, Agatha Longgood; two sons, Jay (wife Sheri) and Craig (wife Kathy); six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; three nephews; two nieces; several great-nieces; nephews; and his sister-in-law, Betty Fahrion.
