Rex Moneymaker

Rex Moneymaker 

June 27, 1956 – July 29, 2026

 Lamar, Colorado

It's the old story the Dog told me It's the best one that he knows Like the morning sun, you come And like the wind you go...

Rex Moneymaker, of Lamar, Colorado passed away on July 29, 2026 at the age of 70. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 27, 1956. His family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico when he was six months old, after his father accepted a position in the Anesthesia Department at St. Joseph Medical Hospital.

He grew up in the playground of the Southwest. A family cabin in northern New Mexico, accessible only by jeep, was where they spent many days throughout the year. It was there, behind the wheel of a dark green ‘65 Jeep Wagoneer, that Rex learned to drive a stick shift at the age of 12. Eventually that green Jeep was traded for a later model, this time yellow. Under Rex’s ownership, it became even more distinctly his own when a Grateful Dead painting appeared on its hood.

A turning point, or shifting of the axis, in Rex’s life came when he attended New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, New Mexico. There he studied the Sciences, the Universe, and the chemical building blocks of Consciousness. He formed deep, life-long friendships in those Merry Pranksters days that remained close throughout the rest of his life. A book could be written about the wilder-than-your-imagination stories that came about from that era.

His professional life was varied, which eventually led him to Lamar, Colorado, as a ranch hand. Rex never left Lamar, but New Mexico was always his home and he traveled there as often as possible.

Dogs were a constant part of Rex’s life. When he was four, the family got its first Basset Hound – Eggnog. There were many dogs to follow (and two Percheron horses) but it was Bloodhounds that always held his fancy. His final companions were his three dogs: Luna, Hestia, and Kodak, who were with him when he passed.

It has been said that while some people are left-brained and some are right, Rex was whole-brained, both scientific and artistic. He lived with curiosity, independence, humor, and a willingness to follow his own path. He was not someone who could easily be put into a category, nor would he have wanted to be. His interests were wide-ranging, his stories were plentiful, and his personality was unforgettable. Those who knew him will remember not only what he did, but what he encouraged others to do (legal or not).

He will be greatly, greatly missed.

Rex is survived by his sister, Patti Moneymaker Horigan, as well as the many friends, animals, and members of his extended family whose lives he touched.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Garnett Bailey Moneymaker (1918-2015) and Margaret Louise Vilmar Moneymaker (1922-2016), and his brother, David Moneymaker (1959-2013).

There will be a celebration of his shenanigans in Socorro in mid-October.