Gus and Rachel Pineda

Text Box: Members of St. Matthew since 1969, Rachel and Gus Pineda are a delightful couple who have contributed to the spiritual growth and enrichment of our parish for more than 40 years. Both are originally native New Mexicans. Rachael was born in Hachita and raised in Deming and Gus in the small town of Bayard, just east of Silver City. Rachael earned her BS in Elementary Education at New Mexico Western University in Silver City, while Gus earned a Business Degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Although the two started dating during the period when Rachel was teaching school in Santa Fe and Gus was attending the university, Rachel relates that their first meeting actually occurred at a bowling alley one summer when she was visiting in Silver City. Reliving a pleasant memory, she notes, “A friend of Gus’s introduced us, and we continued to see one another whenever possible after that.” Their friend was definitely on the right track for the couple promised to “love and obey” at St. Anne’s Church in Deming in 1958, and just recently celebrated their 53rd anniversary. Following his college graduation, Gus joined the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and four years later went to work for Safeco Insurance. They purchased a home in Albuquerque and all four of their children: 2 boys and 2 girls were born there. In 1966 Gus was transferred to the company’s office in Roswell where he worked for the next two years. Little did they realize when the family returned to the Duke City once again in mid-1968, that it would be such a brief stay. Four months later Safeco had need of an agent in El Paso so the family of six relocated once again just prior to Christmas of 1968. In January 1969, they purchased a house in Coronado Hills, and unusual as it might seem in this day and age, this is the home in which they still reside. Four years later Gus chose to try his hand as an independent agent setting up his own company, Pineda/Rodhaver. Their church home has been equally consistent. Early in 1969, the family began attending services at St. Matthew and by fall

Text Box: Rachael had already volunteered to serve as a 3rd grade catechist. At this time Pat Maza was the Director of Religious Education and in 1972, Rachael became her assistant. When Maza retired four years later, Father Ryan asked Rachael to assume the Director’s position In 1979, Rachael accepted a position with the Diocesan Office of Religious Education where she worked under Father Tickle for five years before returning to St. Matthew to head up the parish Youth Group. Perhaps one of her biggest and most satisfying challenges was working with the youth in the Confirmation Classes. She did this for 14 years often assisting with the retreat programs held in the Sacramento Assembly Retreat Center. Still continuing her dedication to the church, Rachael now serves on the Board of the “Network”, a Catholic lobby organization located in Washington, DC which is dedicated to the Global Movement for Peace and Justice. Network recently launched a new campaign called, “Mind the Gap” whose mission is to tell the nation about the wealth gap which affects all our lives. You can find out more about this organization by visiting their web site: http://www.networklobby.org/campaign/mind-the-gap Not to be outdone in devoting time to worthy causes, Gus has served on the Board of Father Yermo High School, was President of the Independent Insurance Agents, has been active with the

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Volume 2 issue Fall 2011

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