Carl Anthony Apodaca
May 12, 1955 - September 3, 2022
On Saturday, September 3, 2022, Carl Anthony Apodaca died in a power paraglider accident just west of Albuquerque. He was 67. Carl was born in 1955 in San Jose, CA, and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After high school, he enlisted in the Air Force where he was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.
While stationed in Ohio, Carl met and married Anita Konicki. Carl and Anita moved to New Mexico in 1979 and had two children, Krystin in 1980, and Carl in 1981. The couple resided together in Albuquerque until 2010 when Anita lost her battle to breast cancer.
In 2016, Carl married Suzanne Fields and joined his family with Suzanne’s daughter Colleen and her husband Josh, along with their two children, Cole and Kiley. Carl was thrilled to step into the role of grandfather to Cole and Kiley. He had a way with children that opened their hearts and minds to all the adventures they could think of.
He was known in the community as a loving father, husband and friend and an excellent pilot. He had the reputation that he could fix virtually anything, and many people leaned on Carl’s generosity and willingness to help out. He enjoyed traveling in his motor home, usually attending fly-in events with his fellow pilots including an annual trek to the Salton Sea of Southern California.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment and source of pride was his love for his family. He was the foundation for not only his children, but for his parents, his two sisters, and their families. Not a day went by that he wasn’t available to support them by lending a hand, offering advice, or being there to celebrate one of their successes.
Carl lived life to the fullest. He never failed to seize an opportunity to explore something new or to just take time to enjoy moments with his friends and family. His charismatic personality always kept us laughing, and he will be greatly missed.
Carl is survived by his wife, Suzanne Fields Apodaca; he and Anita’s children, Krystin Apodaca and Carl Apodaca; Suzanne’s daughter, Colleen Prina and her husband Josh Prina along with their children, Cole and Kiley; Carl’s parents, Delores Oehm and Patrick Apodaca, and his two sisters, Jean Sinclair and her husband Curt and Debbie Otero and her husband John all of Albuquerque.
In addition to his family, Carl Apodaca is survived by a host of friends in his various communities, including paraglider pilots in their local club, the Route 66 Flyers, as well as pilots from around the country who knew him and looked up to him.
Memorial Services and a celebration of life will be held at Strong-Thorne Mortuary, 1100 Coal Ave SE. ABQ., NM., on Friday, October 14, 2022 at 1:00pm. A Reception will immediately follow, there, as well.
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SERVICES
Celebration of Life
Friday, October 14, 2022
1:00 PM
Strong Thorne Mortuary
1100 Coal Ave SE.
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
