LEONORA ‘LEO’ TRUJILLO Aug. 17, 1947 – Dec. 10, 2025
Leonora “Leo” Trujillo was born on August 17, 1947, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and peacefully passed away there on December 10, 2025. For 27 years, she made her home in Los Alamos, where she built lasting friendships and a meaningful career, before moving to Santa Fe, a place where her spirit was inseparable from the landscape, traditions, and beauty she ultimately called home.
Leo was a graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she began her professional journey as a Dental Hygienist. Her intellectual curiosity later led her to continue her studies in Accounting at UNM Los Alamos. She worked for many years at the Los Alamos YMCA, offering her dedication and care to a community she valued greatly. After moving to Santa Fe, she joined St. John’s College, a place she dearly loved. She cherished going to work each day and found deep satisfaction in contributing to a college devoted to learning, ideas, and the richness of the written word.
At home, Leo treasured her adobe house almost as much as she adored the many cats who shared her life. She found joy in the natural world and loved being outdoors. As a younger woman, she was an avid cyclist and a proud member of the women’s group, the Cyclones. Together, they embarked on weekly long rides, including a memorable journey from Los Alamos to Tucson—a testament to her determination, camaraderie, and zest for adventure.
Leo also found profound joy in gathering family together. She dearly loved her in-laws—ironically, some of her favorite clients during her years as a hygienist. She liked to joke that she only married Tom because she already knew everything about the Trujillo family; Tom’s father would share all the latest gossip before Leo’s mother-in-law had her turn in the dental chair. Her elegance, sophistication, and quiet confidence endeared her to everyone, and she was always just a bit ahead of the trends.
Leo will be deeply missed by her husband, Tom, and especially by her daughter, Allison. Allison came into her “Mama Leo” life at the age of six, and the two fell instantly and permanently in love—beginning a bond that flourished for forty years, ever since the three came together as a family.
Those who knew Leo remember her gentle seriousness—an echo of the cats she loved—balanced by a secret smile and a twinkle in her eye that appeared like quiet sunlight for those lucky enough to see it. She made the world more colorful through her deep knowledge, her love for art and literature, and the graceful way she shared herself with others.
Her presence brightened every room, and her warmth, curiosity, and spirit will be held dearly in the hearts of all who loved her.
In honor of Leo’s memory, Tom and Allison respectfully request that those wishing to share in remembrance consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association.