Procopio "Popo" E. Casaus

Procopio (Popo) E. Casaus

It is with a heavy heart; we announce that our beloved Procopio (Popo) E. Casaus passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his children on Monday, June 29, 2026, at the age of 84 and entered eternal life. He leaves behind unwavering love and devotion to his family.

Popo as his friends called him was born on July 7, 1941, in Fort Sumner New Mexico, to Augustine and Eliza Casaus, he was the third oldest of three brothers and two sisters; Felix Casaus, Ernestine (Tina) C. Archuleta, Augustine (Pito) Casaus, Jr., Rebecca Maria Blea, and Albert Casaus.

He attended the Fort Sumner, New Mexico schools throughout his youth, was an all-around athlete in football, basketball, including track and field for the Foxes. He enjoyed time with his family and friends growing up, especially music attending dances in Fort Sumner and surrounding communities displaying his rhythm on the dance floor.

On August 22, 1964, he married the love of his life, Mary Alice Aragon in Fort Sumner, but together would soon make their home in Roswell, New Mexico, despite a brief time early on in Lubbock, Texas. Together, their prowess formed a great dancing team as their steps flowed with remarkable rhythm whenever they touched the dance floor.

He was an astute self-taught person with an intuitive work ethic that saw him master anything with his hands. He enjoyed the carpentry trade as he worked early on for a furniture store and a door company. Throughout his life he enjoyed the sound of a buzzsaw working on various projects around the family home and later the homes of his children and friends.

However, he etched his mark on the highways of New Mexico for over thirty years as he served as a Maintenance Operator/Supervisor for the New Mexico Department of Transportation ensuring the safety and preserving the state’s highways and structures. He had the uncanny ability to operate all heavy motorized equipment to repair and reconstruct roads and clear hazards during all weather conditions.

His love of the outdoors, camping, fishing, and hunting brought him great joy with his family and friends. When he wasn’t in the outdoors, he was watching the television series, “Life Below Zero” about Alaskans that persevered in the extreme conditions of the Arctic corner of Alaska. Like the real-life characters, he was one that was always resilient regardless of the situation.

He admired the pioneers that preceded him like Daniel Boone, saying how much he would’ve enjoyed living during those times including the days of wranglers punching cattle, a reference to cowboys herding, driving, or working with cattle on a ranch and out on the range. His love of ranching found him watching western shows and movies nonstop at times. This would become a theme for his children and grandchildren in their homes watching the gunfight at the OK Corral, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza to name a few. He also introduced family shows like Leave it to Beaver, My Three Sons, and Andy Griffith to name a few.

His enjoyment of many sports, teams, and players like the Dallas Cowboys and Roger Staubach to the New England Patriots Tom Brady, Kareem Abdul Jabar of the Los Angeles Lakers, Reggie Jackson with the New York Yankees, Notre Dame University, New Mexico State University including golfer Tiger Woods, and boxer Canelo Alvarez.

The daily conversations of players and teams was a constant communication piece along with local and world news regarding the impact on us and our families. Concern for the future of his grandchildren and great grandchildren, he so fondly adores would grow deeper in his voice as the days passed.

However, most importantly were his love and commitment to his family, sharing stories, laughing, playing dominoes and board games having a great time. He enjoyed travelling throughout to be with family to help anyway he could lend himself to diagnose and repair an automotive or house issue, building something with lumber, serving up a great meal with red chili, buttermilk biscuits among other popular favorites. He was quite the chef as his talent in the kitchen began as early as eight years old rolling out homemade tortillas helping his family prepare many kitchen meals. You could find him running grandchildren to school or just keeping them company. He was a talker, enjoyed joking all the time with family and complete strangers.

His impact was felt by so many during his life growing up as a youth in Fort Sumner, at work as an adult, his many friends and strangers he came across. However, it is the everlasting legacy he leaves behind to his family. His integrity, unyielding strength, and wisdom he has instilled in us will provide the guidance to persevere until we join him in eternal life.

Procopio was a man of faith, he attended Holy Cross Catholic Church in Las Cruces. He is preceded in death by his parents, Augustine and Eliza Casaus, brother Augustine (Pito) Casaus, Jr., sister Rebecca Maria Blea, and sister Ernestine (Tina) C. Archuleta.

He is survived by Mary Alice Casaus; son Anthony Casaus and his wife Annie Casaus; daughter Connie Chavez and her husband Chris Chavez; daughter Patricia Bacon and her husband Nick Bacon; son Michael Casaus and his wife Nicolle Ontiveros Casaus; son Michael Anthony Alanis and his wife Alisha Alanis.

He was blessed with 11 grandchildren, Michael Anthony, Anthony, Alyssa, Roman, Angel, Ethan, Michael, Isabella, Tristan, Caleb, and Matthew. Additionally with 5 great grandchildren, Meliah, Michael Anthony, Ariélla, Avery, and Charlie.

Pallbearers are sons Anthony, Michael, and Michael Anthony, grandsons Anthony, Michael, Michael Anthony, and Tristan. Honorary Pallbearers are grandsons, Roman, Ethan, Caleb, Matthew, and great grandson, Avery.

Services for Procopio will begin at 6:00 pm on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Holy Cross Parish on 1327 N. Miranda St., Las Cruces, NM 88005 with a rosary prayer vigil. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Holy Cross Parish at 10:00 am with the Reverend Richard Catanach, Celebrant. At his request, cremation will follow and Inurnment of remains will take place at a later date. All arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Getz Funeral Home, 1410 E. Bowman Ave., Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001.

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