Joshua Peine with two of his loves: cedar and his Harley-Davidson.

Cartoon characature of Joshua Peine, by Rudi Klimpert

Businessman was a free spirit

—JAKE RIGDON
Josh Peine, owner of Clear Light the Cedar Company, one of the largest employers in Placitas, died at his home on Dec. 29. Equal parts free spirit and stubborn, he left an indelible mark wherever he went.

"I think he's probably the kindest, gentlest man I've ever known and certainly was a better man than I'll probably ever be. But he would test your patience," said longtime friend Don Keller of Albuquerque, with a chuckle.

Peine was a young man when he was tapped on the shoulder by a Hollywood agent. "You're going to be the next Robert Wagner," the man told him.

So Peine, born in Chicago and raised in New York, packed his bags and headed to Hollywood, where he acted in TV shows and movies.

Peine would later appear in shows like "Highway Patrol," "My Three Sons," "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" and "Father Knows Best." He also played Jimmy Stewart's son-in-law in the movie "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation."

But Peine grew restless with the on-again, off-again work life of an actor, so he eventually ditched the Hollywood lifestyle and toured the Southwest and western Canada on his first Harley,” said his sister, Penny Peine Kohlmeyer.

He traded with the Cree Nation in Saskatchewan and learned about cedar's healing powers from the Hopis and Navajos in New Mexico and Arizona.

After that, cedar never left his system.

Armed with little more than green cedar needle sachets, Peine rumbled into Santa Fe, where he first opened his business selling cedar fragrance products. He eventually landed in the mountains of Placitas in the early 1970s.

"He definitely was his own person," said longtime friend Julie Denison of Placitas. "He certainly had his own ideas and wanted to live his life the way he wanted—and did."

He later expanded the business, selling lotions, shampoos, soaps, candles and incense, as well as other products made from other home-grown ingredients, such as lavender.

Over time, Peine slowly started to build an impressive client list. People from all over the world ordered his products, including an Egyptian prince, and some of the state's top tourist destinations carry his products. The business employs about nine people.

Cedar, though, wasn't his only passion, but it was high on a list that included Placitas and landscape design.

Friends and family say he loved his Harley-Davidson motorcycles almost as much as he did his business, and he was an expert skier. He also wouldn't shy away from good food and drink.

"He was an old Hollywood guy, like a Randolph Scott type, a loner," Keller said. "Even though he wasn't originally from here, he epitomized the one-man-against-the-world type that New Mexicans are known for. He did what he wanted to do—and I loved the guy."

Keller said some of the best times of his life were the moments the two men would drive across the country on their Harleys, stopping for Peine to take a drag off another cigarette or eating at some out-of-the-way roadside diner.

Friends also said Peine could always make them laugh, no matter how down on their luck they were. More importantly, his heart was in the right place.

"When I lost my husband, Josh was always so kind to me and made sure I was taken care of," said longtime friend Donna von Stetten-Ford of Placitas. "He had a free spirit and an amazing heart."

His sister, Penny, said she would take over business operations from her suburban Chicago home. "He had an amazing amount of charm and was very charismatic," she said. "Even though he would drive people mad with his persistence and single-mindedness, people still loved him. I think they were won over by his unique and winning smile."

A funeral Mass for Josh Peine was held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Bernalillo. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022; The Nature Conservancy, 1307 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104; or National Public Radio, 635 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington D.C., 20001.

This story originally appeared in the January 5 issue of the Albuquerque Journal. Reprinted with permission.

In Remembrance

United States Marine Lance Corporal
Emilian Damian Sanchez

On January 21, 2007, our beloved son, grandson, uncle, brother, and friend, United States Marine Lance Corporal Emilian Damian Sanchez, of Santa Ana Pueblo and Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico, was killed in combat in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

He was serving as an Infantryman with 1st Platoon Echo Company Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, “Magnificent Bastards,” 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), out of Camp Pendleton, California.

Lance Corporal Emilian Damian Sanchez was twenty years old. He joined the U.S. Marines in July of 2005. Emilian served his country with bravery and honor, much like his grandfather Fedelino Jack Sanchez, USMC, who served in WWII, his uncle Gene Gonzales, USMC, who served in Vietnam, and his cousin Robert J. Garcia, USMC, Desert Storm.

Lance Corporal Sanchez was a great Marine for his country and a Brave Warrior for his native communities. He was a caring and giving person who always put others before himself. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and community.

He is survived by his parents, David and Jennie Sanchez, Santa Ana Pueblo; grandmother Anna Sanchez, Sandia Pueblo; sisters, Bernadine Sanchez, Diane Sanchez, and Leona Chavez; brothers, Aubrey Sanchez, Joey Sanchez, and Adrian Sanchez; nieces, Shawna Sanchez, Amber Sanchez, Alyssa Sanchez, and Kendra Tenorio; nephews, Victor Sanchez, Vincent Sanchez, and Garret Tenorio, all of Santa Ana Pueblo; fiancée, Charmayne Johns, of Crystal, New Mexico; and all his uncles, aunties, and cousins, from both Santa Ana and Sandia pueblos.

Funeral arrangements are pending. We thank all our family and friends who have come to our side at this difficult time. We respectfully ask the media to bear with us during this sorrowful time.

Finally, we, the Sanchez Family, pray for our Marines, and all servicemen and -women who are serving our country, so they may be brought home safely to their families.

—FROM THE SANCHEZ FAMILY, SANTA ANA PUEBLO

New radio station targets emerging Latino market in Albuquerque and vicinity

El Camino Communications, a Latino-owned and -operated media company, launched a new Spanish-language radio station in the Albuquerque region on January 12. La 1310 KKNS-AM Los Exitos de Siempre offers a new and unique format of Top Latino oldies and information relevant to today’s communities. Listeners can tune in and enjoy classics from great Latino artists such as Juan Gabriel, Los Bukis, Ana Gabriel, Vicente Fernandez, Tigres del Norte, and Joan Sebastian and hear local organizations provide important information on health, economic development, and education.

La 1310 KKNS-AM, located in the heart of Albuquerque, reaches Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Santo Domingo, South Valley, and Los Lunas.

“We are excited to be a part of a community like Albuquerque, which has a rich Latino cultural tradition,” said Victor Camino, CEO of El Camino Communications. “We hope to make a significant contribution of our own to the life of the city. Our goal is to provide great entertainment and to partner with local community organizations so we can also offer important information that benefits our listeners.”

Goldman Sachs estimates general-market radio-advertising sales reached $19.2 billion in 2006—a 2 percent increase that year. However, they estimate Hispanic radio climbed 8 percent, to $777 million, in the same year. According to HispanTelligence, the research division of Hispanic Business, Inc., about two-thirds of that amount will come from local radio. In addition, the 2005 U.S. Census estimates show that almost half of Albuquerque’s population is Latino—at 43.3 percent of the total population—and even greater within certain age groups, with 47.4 percent of children and teens up to seventeen years old, and 46.3 percent of adults twenty-five to fifty-four years old.

“Our station will offer something for every generation, said Maria Nava, programming consultant of La 1310 KKNS-AM. “The format will focus on Spanish top hits from the 1970s, -80s, and -90s and promises more music with fewer interruptions.”