General Fought for Kirtland and Won

Before retiring from the Air Force in 1987, the Adelino native rose to be the branch’s highest-ranking Hispanic officer. But years after he ended his decorated military career, Marquez was tapped by state leaders to be the one to stand up to the Air Force in 1995 and counter its effort to shut down Kirtland Air Force Base, taking with it the base’s nearly 7,000 jobs.

“With those hearings, basically he led the charge like a soldier would. He did not go in there to counter the Air Force’s decision, he went in to support Kirtland,” recalled Patricia Knighten, Marquez’s daughter. “… He loved the Air Force, period.”

Marquez managed his fight for Kirtland by building community support and proving to military officials that shuttering Kirtland would cost the country more money through 2015 than it could save. Military officials dropped the closure recommendation.

“Leo had unusual credibility because everybody knew he would come straight at you,” said Sherman McCorkle, who served with Marquez on the local task force organized to protect Kirtland.

Marquez, a New Mexico State University graduate, flew as a fighter pilot before the Vietnam War and later specialized in maintenance logistics, improving the nation’s infrastructure to maintain its military aircraft. When he retired after 33 years, the Air Force named its highest honor for aircraft and munitions maintenance workers the “Leo Marquez Award for Excellence.”

“Maintainers make the airplanes fly and fix them, and he grew to become a hero in that profession,” Knighten said. “… You can go to the Pentagon, you can go to any Air Force base, and you say ‘General Marquez’ and everyone knows who you’re talking about, 30 years after his retirement.”

After retirement, Marquez was an independent aerospace supply contractor who led ValueJet Airlines to resume its commercial flights after the government grounded the airline for faulty maintenance practices.

But New Mexico remained close to his heart, his daughter said. Marquez continued to serve on several community boards, including a long tenure with the New Mexico Military Base Planning Commission and a period as a New Mexico Tech University regent.

“He is a true New Mexican. As much as he loved to fly airplanes, and loved the Air Force and loved America, boy did he ever love New Mexico,” McCorkle said.

Marquez is survived by his wife, Stella; children Paula Hewitt, Patricia Knighten, Phil Marquez, Leo David Marquez and Diana Marquez; and three grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are pending with French Mortuary. Marquez will be buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery.
— This article appeared on page C1 of the Albuquerque Journal