Tres Orejas lost one of its more notable long time residents this week, Mike Mabry. He passed away last Wednesday after a long and interesting life. He left behind his wife Peg, his daughter Elizabeth, four sons, Michael Lee, Steven, David and Mat, and many grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his eldest daughter Pearl. He and his family first moved to Tres Orejas in 1981 where they built a house in the then sparsely inhabited and remote community. He was known for his friendliness and defiant attitude towards authority in all of its forms, great and small. He saw Tres Orejas as an opportunity for himself and others to own a home without the usual constraints of mortgage payments, home owners associations and the rules of normal society. He was a professional photographer before he moved to the Taos area in the 1970s. If you visited him, he would tell you many interesting stories of his former life starting from his childhood in Mississippi in the 1940s to his service in the US navy on a submarine and earning a living from photography in the 1960s. He was fascinated by ancient Egypt and developed radical theories that, true to his spirit, contradicted the accepted knowledge on the subject.
He was always concerned about and an activist in the affairs of his own community. Long before medicinal marijuana was even a concept and legal cannabis was even thought possible, he was a proponent of the virtues of this ancient plant. In 1988 in the midst of the full on war on drugs, he confronted then congressman and future governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, about the military helicopter surveillance of Tres Orejas that occurred from the late 1980s until 2009. He pointed out to the politicians of the time that not only were these flights warrant less surveillance but that they were in violation of FAA height limits and a potential safety issue for our community. He was vindicated in 2010 when the courts invalidated the last fly over prosecutions as a violation of the 4th amendment. He fought to keep access to the Klauer Spring open which for many years was the only source for water haulers in this arid environment. In all of these issues he was a determined fighter unwilling to compromise.
Age slowed him down but never stopped him. He always had a warm smile on his face and was devoted to his extended family up until the end.
Mike Mabry March 18, 1937 to March 18, 2026
8 responses to “Remembering Mike Mabry”
Thank you David. Mike was the one who turned Scott and Nita and their kid, the first residents of Tres Orejas, to the land here. And the rest was history…..
he turned on many and those of us who stayed are the better for it. And that’s all he wanted, the betterment of others…well, the company made him happy, too! Thank you Mike Peggy and family for sharing him with so many. Peace and love, Donna
Mike you are loved by your neighbor from the far NW corner of Tres Orejas. you were always so supportive of my beginning Taos Hemp and were curious and yes defiant of the prohibition of this miracle plant. You always were curious and friendly; thank you Mike for your acceptance and love. Rainbow light surrounds you brother. In gratitude, Ruth
Mike will be missed. He was a keeper of the collective memory of the Mesa, and of a generation that knew the power of love, joy, and music to transform the world. Thank you, Mike, and Peggy too, for carrying the flame.
We all should hope for such a eulogy. Beautifully done my friend. I’ve only been on the mesa a bit over 3 years and didn’t have the pleasure of meeting him until I read your words. RIP
While I only met Mike once, I heard stories about him for about fifteen years prior. When I met him, he was as legendary as the stories. Rugged, sharp, the archetype of the Rebel glowing around him. Reading his obituary, it is clear that the grit and determination that he, Peg and family carried in their bones is what is required to create something like the community that continues to endure on the Mesa. I imagine Mike’s spirit was fortified by this powerful landscape, that Tres Orejas watched over him and lent its spectacular strength to him and the mark that he left upon that place. Blessings and care to Peg, family and community at this threshold.
Dad was the best father anyone could ask for. He raised my sister Pearl and myself Elizabeth along with my brother Mat to question everything. I will miss him very much. Love you Dad.💙💙💙
My closest friend and brother