May 1, 1943 ~ August 21, 2025 (age 82)
Services for Solomon Padilla, Jr., 82, retired Elementary School Principal, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 25, 2025, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father James Amasi officiating. Burial will follow at the Wesley Chapel Cemetery in Bluff Dale, Texas. A Rosary will be held from 6:00-7:00 p.m., Sunday, August 24, 2025, at Lacy Funeral Home with visitation preceding the Rosary from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Solomon was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on May 1, 1943, to Solomon Padilla, Sr., and Ida Sanchez Padilla. He married his first wife, Evelyn Mora, on February 27, 1965, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She preceded him in death in 1993. He married his second wife, Emily Graham, on February 14, 2004, in Española, New Mexico.
Solomon was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He loved watching boxing, reading, studying the Bible, taking walks, storytelling, feeding his chickens and gathering eggs, traveling, eating, and educating others. His love for children and his God-given teaching abilities and storytelling made him an excellent elementary principal for which he was named “New Mexico’s Principal of the Year in 1997 and received the award in the White House Rose Garden. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family always teaching his grandchildren science and history, creating art projects and playing board games and outdoors sports.
Survivors include his wife, Emily Padilla of Bluff Dale, Texas; son, Kevin Padilla and wife, Debra, of Las Cruces, New Mexico; step-children, Kymberly Rolen of Temple, Texas, and Shane Rolen and wife, Magally, of Benbrook, Texas; grandchildren, Daniel Padilla and wife, Denise, Kerissa, Julian, Brenden, and Roman Padilla; step-grandchildren, Travis Kleman, Erin Sunday, Brooke Fox and husband, Jonah, and Callie Jo Rolen; great-grandchildren, Aziah and Ace Coca, and Noah Padilla; step-great-grandchildren, Daniel and Devin Lopez, Rory and Rose Fox, and Tristen and Kason Sunday; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Evelyn, and son, Darren Padilla.
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