MONTE VISTA - City of Monte Vista, the beloved children of J.D. Sanchez and the community gathered at J.D. Sanchez Park in the Lariat community on June 21, for an amazing tribute to the park’s namesake.  

Sanchez’s living children Loretta, Debora, Cathy, Connie, and Gregory, all made the trip to the park, from Brighton, Washington, Kansas, and Oklahoma, for the unveiling and dedication ceremony. 

Sanchez served on Monte Vista City Council and was mayor for the town in the 1960s. 

Sanchez’s son, Gregory, began the ceremony by acknowledging his four sisters and his brother Ken, who passed away in 2019. He stated they were all happy to be present for the dedication of the statue. Gregory also thanked numerous people, including everyone who had been involved in the renovation of the park and placement of the statue.  

Gregory said his father was born and raised in the Lariat community. He then invited childhood friend and former NFL player, Larry Dorsey, who traveled from San Francisco to be at the ceremony, to speak. 

Dorsey read some of the obituary that was written about Sanchez, stating that because of him he stayed on the right road. 

“Without him I would probably be doing life in prison. Joe D. Sanchez was a sports fan, one of Monte Vista’s most loyal fans. This park will hopefully encourage and help kids. Joe was ‘Mr. Hardworking American’, determined to do the best for his town, his state, and his nation and his God. We miss Joe as a friend, just as his family will miss him as a husband and father. Monte Vista will long remember Joe D. Sanchez,” Dorsey said. 

Monte Vista City Manager GiGi Dennis then spoke about the park and what the monument means to Monte Vista. 

“This is such a special moment when you consider so many times when you name a park, a building, or something special after someone and the family may or may not come back and see what was accomplished,” she said.  

Dennis said that 4 years ago the city received a Kaboom grant to upgrade the playground equipment in the park. She remembered Gregory being present for the upgrade and at the time he stated that he wanted to do something else to honor his father and help expand the park. 

Dennis said that she remembers when Sanchez was mayor, and how the community of Lariat did not have running water during that time and how outhouses and latrines were still used in that part of the community. With Sanchez as mayor in 1968, Lariat became a full-blown part of the community and Lariat was also able to obtain water and sewer throughout the community. 

“It just mind boggles me how in that short amount of time we were able to bring in this lovely community and make it part of Monte Vista and treat them like Monte Vistans,” she said. 

Mayor Dale Becker spoke at the ceremony and stated that it was good to see the community come together now as they did to help build J.D. Sanchez Park with the new playground equipment. 

“I look at all the people here today, and it’s heartwarming. This is about family and community, and we are all one big family, and we come together,” Mayor Becker said.  

Mayor Pro Tem Victor Sigala also spoke at the ceremony and stated he remembered growing up on Lariat just four houses down from the park. 

“I grew up playing football and baseball here and catching grasshoppers. There were so many of us that used to come and utilize this park. The memories that I have here are of so many of the kids that are still here in the community. This park is so important to the community,” he said. 

Sanchez’s children came together for the culmination of the ceremony and unveiled the statue. Gregory stated, “It’s a man turning a valve. He is on bended knee looking straightforward, that’s the virtue of fortitude.”