Richard Stohner joined his Heavenly Creator on February 26, 2026, after a brief illness. Richard was born on September 1, 1951, to Bernice McKinney and George Stohner in El Paso, Texas.
Richard was a teacher and carpenter. He graduated from UNM with a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education, teaching at many schools in Albuquerque, Los Alamos, and Pojoaque.
He met the love of his life, Tammy Miller, on a blind date in November 1983. Not wanting to let her get away, he married Tammy in August the following year. Four years later, Tammy brought their only child, Taylor, into the world.
In the winter of 1999, Richard took a position at Los Alamos Middle School. Unable to find an apartment, he spent the nights at the East Gate Park in his Jeep, waking up often to a frozen beard. In early 2000, Richard’s family joined him in Los Alamos, a few months before they lost their home in the Cerro Grande Fire.
In Los Alamos, Richard became a beloved teacher, mentoring and teaching carpentry to countless numbers of restless middle schoolers. His students, along with his family, were the joy of his life. Legend has it that, in all of his years of teaching shop, only one student bested Richard in the required class project to design, build, and race a gas-propelled model car that marked the completion of the class.
Richard loved the outdoors, especially the Jemez Mountains, where he spent many a day finding and fishing small tributaries to the East Fork River.
After retirement, when he wasn’t fishing or involved in some carpentry project, Richard spent most early mornings and late afternoons on the front porch of his home with his neighbors and visiting friends, spinning yarns, discussing local issues, solving our nation’s problems, and recounting stories about his students from his days as a teacher.
Richard is preceded in death by his parents, Bernise and George, and his siblings. Joann, Judy, and Bob. He is survived by his wife Tammy, his son Taylor, and numerous nephews and nieces.
Richard’s family would like to thank the folks at the ER of Los Alamos Medical Center and the ICU of CHRISTUS St. Vincent, as well as the staff at Rivera Family Funeral Home, for their compassionate care and assistance.
Funeral services will be private. The family welcomes friends and family to visit Rivera Family Funeral Home’s website, should they wish to share stories from Richard’s life. A GoFundMe account (Support for Richard Stohner’s Family) has been set up by his friends and neighbors to help his family with medical and other bills incurred towards the end of his life.
Please visit www.riverafamilyfuneralhome.com to leave pictures, stories and messages.