Ronald "Ron" Jaynes

Ron Jaynes passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Even though his heart failed on March 3, 2024, his heart was filled with love for Barbara, Scott, Marisa, Cary, Keenan and Remy. Ron never failed to love, laugh, learn, listen and lead or lean on his amazing family and friends.

Ron was born February 8, 1947 in Albuquerque to Gene and Juanita Jaynes. He grew up in the North Valley with his sister Diane. Initially, he attended Kit Carson because his mom taught close by and was soon double promoted out of kindergarten! However, he returned to the North Valley and attended Alvarado, Taft, and Valley High School. He left Valley for Cripple Creek, Colorado his senior year so he could establish residency for in-state tuition, hoping to attend Fort Lewis College. The plan was to live with his aunt Genelle, uncle Don and cousins Gwen and Barbara. Ron’s Cripple Creek senior class of 25 was its biggest in years, and he played every sport they had available. He and four other guys wanted to start a track team, so they did. Six-man football was a thing. Although he often said he was 4’9” and 97 pounds in 9th grade, he was their star basketball player. No question, Ron was an all-around athlete.

Ron graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango with a History degree. Returning to Albuquerque after making life long friends at Fort Lewis, Ron began teaching and coaching wrestling at Del Norte in 1969.  That was another plan accomplished. He was just twenty-one, so the cafeteria ladies often thought he was a student; the students thought he was a student! “Coach Jaynes” was a popular Social Studies teacher who taught every subject under that umbrella, but his happiest times were when he was coaching. He began as an assistant wrestling coach who soon became the head coach. He started each season wrestling and beating each of his wrestlers. It is unsure if they ever caught on to the fact that he started with the heavyweights (no one was in shape at the start of the season) and ended wrestling the lightweights who by then were in shape. But he could say he beat them all! Somehow he taped on the ceiling of Del Norte’s gym, in order to motivate his wrestlers, “If you can read this, fight like hell!” He was proud to have coached some wonderful young men who became state champions and lifelong friends.

During his teaching years, Ron chaperoned high school students on European summer trips with Teenage Study Tours. No surprise that some of them became Ron’s adult friends. Robert Johnson, most notably, is still one of his best friends and the little brother he never had. (Thank you Rob for adding Walter to our family.) Traveling with students to Europe for at least seven years, the tours usually included Western Europe, but his Russia and East/West Germany stories are the best. No one can tell a story like Ron with his funny, sometimes long winded, asides. He was warned not to take pictures at Checkpoint Charlie, yet he did! He was swiftly taken away by soldiers who ripped the film out of his camera saying in their thick accents, “Mustn’t do!”  Because Ron was such a rule follower, we always wondered why he chose a Communist dictatorship’s rule to break!

Ron taught at Del Norte High School for twenty-six years but decided to also get a real estate license in 1977. He simultaneously taught and sold real estate until he retired from teaching. As a Realtor/Qualified Broker, he achieved Realtor Emeritus Status in 2017. During a successful 47 years, Ron worked for various real estate companies. Eventually, he established his own company, Jaynes and Associates Realtors, LLC. He was very proud that his son Scott joined him in the business.

As another example of his far-reaching interests, Ron became absorbed in studying the stock market. He started a couple of local Investment Clubs and stayed involved with an online group until recently. A proud moment for him was when his group rang the New York Stock Exchange’s closing bell. More than a passing interest was his “Blackjack life”. Ron, with his Jaynes/Rikhof family, had some successful and lucrative Las Vegas trips. For those of you who know Ron well, you know the details and the fact that again he was all about the rules. Many of his friends and family are now darn good players

Family includes friends of which he has many. From college buddies, to Del Norte colleagues, to Ron and Barbara’s many friends with whom they partied in their heyday, to his softball teammates, Ron was uniquely blessed. He played on city league softball teams all his adult life. But it was the camaraderie with Senior Softball players where he found his cherished friends. Old man softball we called it. Even though he played other positions, he was the pitcher. When his back got too bad to play, he kept score. He couldn’t pull himself away from his buddies. There might not be any crying in baseball, but there is loyalty, trust, brotherhood, shared experiences, trips, tournaments. Ron got to experience them all Dick, Rick, Chuck, Larry to name a few.  Then there were the Lobos! Rick Higgins and Ron had season tickets for years. Rick, Wendy, Barbara and Ron went to the MWC tournaments every year they could even if they knew the Lobos might only last one game. Wherever Ron is now, he’ll be watching his team win this year’s tournament! Of all the sports he played and loved, baseball was his  favorite. Statistics on teams and players? Ask Ron. If you wanted to see Ron in Spring or Summer, go to an Isotopes game. Or in the “olden” days The Dukes. Ron and Dick Satter had their season tickets behind the dugout on the first base line. Ron had his seat so long that he saw hot dog prices rise and hot dog sizes shrink. If they ever rebuild home plate, there’s a container with a baseball that Ron and friends signed then buried. He’s got a history as an Isotopes fan exemplifying his love of baseball.

Then there was the most important part of Ron’s life - his FAMILY. Barbara Salazar was the lucky lady who met Ron in 1975. They were married on August 13, 1976. It was Friday the 13th, but they led a lucky life. Barbara joined a small and wonderful Jaynes family comprised of his parents Gene and Juanita Jaynes, and his sister Diane and her husband Ib Rikhof of La Junta, Colorado. Eventually nephews Niels and Hans were born. Ron joined a larger Salazar family where he immediately was loved by Barbara’s parents Paul and Carmelita Salazar. Barbara’s brothers (Mike, Don, Richard, David and Frank) became his friends, but more importantly they bonded as brothers. Niece Casandra and her husband Ron Sisneros were his kids, too. Their son Cisco is a grandson to Ron by every definition of that word. Eventually, Barbara and Ron said, “Hey, we should have some kids!” In 1984 Scott was born; a son truly loved by his dad. Like his dad, Scott played many sports, and Ron was always there to teach and support. When Scott chose golf as his primary sport, following him around during golf tournaments was Ron’s favorite “sport”. Then came his beautiful, baby girl Marisa. She loved her “Pops”, but he adored her more than one can measure. Watching her ballet performances and soccer games (he never understood the off sides rule no matter how often she tried to explain) was something he never missed. Scott and Marisa made him proud each and everyday. When Marisa married Cary Dougherty, a new family was formed. Grandboys Keenan (age 6) and Remy (age 3) lit up his life and expanded his heart. He wrestled with them, gardened with them, cooked pancakes and sausage with them, played doctor with them, whispered silly secrets with them, pushed them for hours in their swing, read to them on sleepover nights, and sweetly fell asleep together with them. You know, the perfect “Pops.”  Ron cherished his family, and those little boys love him.

To all Ron’s sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and their families, Uncle Ron loved you, and every visit with you is a cherished memory. To all the friends who call him Uncle Ron because he was such a great man, he will miss partying with you. To his ex-students, his wrestlers and their families, he remembered you. Thanks for inviting him to your reunions. To all our buddies since the 70’s, you are always there for us. And especially to his baseball buddies, there are not enough words to say how much you meant to him. Ron was loved, and he loved in return.

Vaya Con Dios, Ron.

Ron's Life Celebration will be held Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Salazar Mortuary, 400 Third St. SW, Albuquerque, NM  87102.

His service will be livestreamed through Salazar Mortuary's Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account to stream the service. Please click link below at the scheduled time. Please note the livestream will begin when the service begins.

The MFA parking lot will be available for overflow parking which is on the northwest corner of Third and Lead SW.