I grew up in Aztec, New Mexico. I did much of my undergraduate work and received my medical degree from UNM in 1980. After a Family Practice Residency in Fort Worth, Texas at John Peter Smith Hospital, I moved with my young family to my first job in Cortez /Dolores, Colorado. As a Board-Certified Family Practitioner, I had a typical practice delivering babies, taking care of patients at the Cortez Hospital, working in the Emergency Room, in addition to a busy out-patient family practice spanning all ages. After three years, we moved to Farmington and joined an established two physician private practice. This practice eventually grew to six physicians and four mid-level practitioners. As a partner/owner of the practice it was a joy to watch the practice thrive and grow. I became Board Certified in Geriatrics and was one of the few doctors taking care of the nursing home patients in San Juan County. For many years I spent my days off rounding on patients in the area's five nursing homes. I was the Medical Director at three of the nursing homes. As a member of the San Juan Regional Hospital staff, I had leadership roles for most of the 34 years we were in Farmington.
My parents showed me the value of community involvement. I was active in Sacred Heart Catholic Church and taught Catholic education to grade school students . I was a Eucharistic Minister at church services and would take holy communion to the homebound. For many years I was on the San Juan College Foundation Board. I was a member of the Four Corners Foundation Board that built a large homeless shelter with accompanying apartments for struggling families in the Farmington area. The Foundation maintained the homeless shelter/apartments and ran a medical clinic for the residents that I also volunteered at. I was able to participate in a medical mission to Honduras.
As a sports enthusiast, I was a coach and team doctor to youth sports teams that my children participated in. I took up running as a way to manage stress and became a marathon runner, triathlon and quadrathlon participant.
In December of 2020 I retired from the active practice of medicine in Farmington and moved to Colorado Springs with my wife, Janet, and our daughter. We are near our two sons' families, including our four grandchildren. My life remains full, chasing grandchildren, being an active member of St Francis of Assisi Church, gardening, volunteering, biking, jogging, swimming, square dancing and playing pickle ball.