Connie Krivanek

Connie Mack Krivanek was born to Millard Frank Krivanek and Emma Elizabeth Svoboda Krivanek on Aug. 14, 1936, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was named after the famed baseball manager Connie Mack, as his father was a baseball player (this was long before the Farmington tournament would also be named in the manager's honor).

Connie grew up in Oklahoma City and went on to attend Oklahoma University for both a BS and MS degree in Geology. After graduation he served on active duty in the US Navy on the USS Rehoboth Survey ship along the North Pacific rim.

In 1963 Connie Mack began his career as an oil and gas exploration geologist. He was a long-time member of the local Four Corners Geological Society from 1967 and served as president in 1974. The work brought him to live in eight states including Alaska where in Anchorage he lived through the Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964 which is among the largest ever recorded.

During his nine years living in Durango, CO, a fellow geologist Dennis Belnap introduced Connie to high country backpacking, which changed him from a former "flatlander" to a mountain man. His favorite experience was to walk out of the stunted spruce tree forest at timberline onto the grassy alpine tundra at 12,000 feet. The view would be like looking down on the world.

Over the years he would go on many trips with his son Alan and friends into remote high mountain lakes to trout fish around the Weminuche Wilderness of Southwest Colorado. Along the way he also managed to climb a few "14ers" with his son.

Every summer Connie Mack planted a large garden and he not only enjoyed eating the produce himself but also giving away much of what he grew to friends and neighbors.

Connie often took morning jogs with his beloved dogs. He said the dogs liked it more than he did... but it helped him stay in shape for summer backpacking. His running was actually a second-half of life pastime that he used to stay healthy into older age. His first goal was to complete a marathon by age 50 which he achieved when he finished the Shiprock Marathon in 1986. He went on to win dozens of medals for 10k and 5k races in his age categories over 60, then over 70, then over 80!

He said he was privileged to have lived, worked and raised a family in the mountain west and specifically the Four Corners Area for over 50 years.

Connie Mack was preceded in death by his parents Millard and Emma and by Lynda Krivanek his wife of 56 years. He is survived by his sister Wanda Roach; daughter Alecia Pittman and husband Randy Pittman and twin granddaughters Rachael Newman and Sarah Walker; son Alan Krivanek and wife Debra Skinner, granddaughter Lily Krivanek and grandson Leo Krivanek.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday January 3, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. at Farmington Funeral Home, 2111 West Apache Street, Farmington, NM 87401 (505) 325 2111, farmingtonfuneral.com. A private interment will be held at the Greenlawn Cemetery 1606 North Dustin, Farmington, NM.