Teuh-Mu-Meh-ee Kim R. Trujillo

Kim Riley Trujillo was born on January 7, 1952 in Santa Fe, New Mexico to Frank (Trujillo) Good Hunt and Isabel Martinez.

He was enrolled at Taos Pueblo and lived in the pueblo where he attended the Day School. He was fluent in his language and enjoyed learning his traditional ways. His family then spent their time between Taos, New Mexico and Denver, Colorado. He attended schools in both communities. After High School he entered the United States Army, then moved to Denver, Colorado where he met Patricia Ann Roy, Meskwaki/Ojibwe from Cass Lake, Minnesota. They started their family and had three daughters, Kiva, Terra, and Aspen whom they raised in Denver, and where they called home for 46 years.

In the early 70’s Kim was heavily involved in his community. He was a young man at that time and travelled to many pow wows and events with members of the American Indian Movement throughout the southwest and midwest raising awareness and fundraising. He helped AIM in procuring supplies specifically for the Wounded Knee occupation. His own awareness of social injustices influenced his world views and his identity as an Indigenous person.

He formed many cultural connections locally and started singing with the original All Nations singers including Keith Fox, John Fox, Tonto Black Bear, Duke Kills Warrior and Frank Sherwood. He gave his time to many cultural events that included organizing local pow wows, educational presentations and was often called upon to host food concessions because of his cultural and culinary knowledge, as well as his specific style of fresh cooking. As a founding member of the Rocky Mountain Pow wow Association he formed and nurtured life long relationships.

He worked for the City and County of Denver for 25 years starting with the Denver CARES program and eventually retired from the Early & Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment Program (EPSDT). Through EPSDT he made a positive difference in the lives of many young families and children throughout the Denver metro area. He enjoyed meeting these families and making sure they were accessing all of the resources to have a healthy start before entering Kindergarten.

More recently he built a reputation as an accomplished craftsman of leatherwork.  If anyone is fortunate enough to have acquired one of his belts they will realize the amount of care and thought that he put into each one.  From the measuring of where each tack would go to the reworking of a pattern he was an example of how to put love into something made from his own heart and mind.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010 and continued to live each day to the fullest. He became more physically active and appreciative of everyday experiences. Creating memories with his loved ones, cooking and eating good foods, and photography were some of his daily treasures. He took part in two successful cancer trials through The Urology Center of Colorado that afforded him many more years with his family. In June of 2020, he began chemotherapy treatments through Christus St. Vincent Cancer Care Center in Santa Fe, NM. These treatments severely impacted his body and spirit, and compromised his immune system. Surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren, he passed on to the spirit world on September 18, 2020.

Throughout his life he enjoyed gardening, travelling, camping, beading, singing, cooking, photography, leatherwork, writing, reading and learning. His family are his greatest love and his grandchildren including Keya and Wambdi Clairmont, Katrina, Elias, and Star Her Many Horses, and Jordan and Jerra Trujillo were his greatest pride. He will be missed by many.

Kim's Life Celebration will begin with a Visitation on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 2:00 pm at Salazar Funeral Homes & Crematory located at 400 Third St. SW, 87102. A Traditional Native Ceremony will begin at 3:00 pm also at Salazar Funeral Homes & Crematory.

Due to the COVID restrictions set in place by the Governor masks are MANDATORY to attend Kim's services. Salazar Funeral Homes & Crematory has a capacity of 80 people.

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