Frank Ruben Murillo

Frank (Ruben) Murillo was born January 30, 1934, in Albuquerque, NM, to John M and Rita G Murillo, both now deceased. Frank attended North Fourth Street School elementary school for the first six years, then three years at Washington Junior High (mid-school) and received his diploma from Albuquerque High School in 1951. He enrolled at the University of New Mexico in 1952, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1956, majoring in Accounting.

Immediately after receiving his degree, he was inducted into the U.S. Army and served three months in Berlin, Germany, with the Sixth Infantry Division. He then requested assignment to the Finance Corps of the U.S. Army’s Southern Area Command Finance Office in Munich, Germany. He was transferred there to a position with the Analysis and Reconciliation Department of the Finance Office, complementing his college education.

Frank’s parents migrated from Mexico, his father from Veracruz, and his mother from Mexico City. The two met in Albuquerque and were married in a traditional Mexican kidnap wedding. Rita’s parents established the highly popular El Modelo Tortilla Factory on South Second Street, which still exists today, but under new ownership. All of Frank’s siblings were born in Albuquerque. Frank’s father passed at age 36 in 1946, when Frank was twelve years old and only in the 6th grade. At the time of his father’s death, his mother was only 30 years old. The most senior, Gloria, when their father passed, was 14, Frank 12, Robert 11, and John 2.

After his father’s death, both Frank and Robert helped their mother, when not attending school, at the shoe repair shop on North Fourth Street just across from North Fourth Street School (razed many years ago). His mother took over management of the family shoe shop, hand-tooling leather purses and wallets and handling the cash register. Frank’s father, who possessed a beautiful baritone voice, was known for singing with the Sunday choir at high mass at Immaculate Conception Church, along with weddings and parties.

 After being honorably discharged from active duty in the military in 1958, Frank continued his studies in accounting, with licensing as a Certified Public Accountant in 1960. Frank’s work history included two years with Neff and Co, CPAs, during his junior and senior years at UNM. A summer job with Daniel Evitt, CPA, as an assistant auditor on the audit of the City of Albuquerque. Seven years with Robertson and Summers certified CPAs (later becoming Robertson Summers, Adams, and Wilbur, then that firm merged into Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co in 1965.)

In September of 1969, Peat Marwick assigned Frank to their Italian practice, soon promoted to Partner. Frank worked three months in Milan, Italy, and four and one-half years in Rome, Italy, primarily as the partner in charge of assigned audits of international subsidiaries of U.S. companies. He was then assigned to the Brussels, Belgium office for one and a half years with similar partner-in-charge audit responsibilities. After Frank’s repatriation to the United States from the Brussels office in September 1975, he terminated his employment with Peat, Marwick & Mitchell Company in September 1977. He became an associate of Robert S. Marquez, Frank’s colleague from Albuquerque High School and the University of New Mexico.

Frank was a member of several not-for-profit and professional organizations. He was a member, board member, or officer of the following:  American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, NM Society of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Tax Practitioners, AHS Athletic Alumni Association,  The Albuquerque Guild of the Santa Fe Opera, UNM Heritage Alumni, and Heights Lions Club.

Frank established his practice in 1979 and was in practice until retirement on May 30, 2014. Frank married his wife Beth in 2009, and the two moved to McKinney, Texas (her state of birth) and established residency in 2014 after both retired.

Frank and Beth were both worldwide travelers before and after their marriage. Frank visited over one hundred countries, sixty-five of them together with Beth. Frank began his travels during his eighteen-month military assignment in Germany, using this opportunity to visit fifteen countries in Europe before his 25th birthday.

 One of Frank and Beth's most exciting trips together was to Kenya in Africa. Beth is an avid bird watcher, and Frank accompanied her on the three-week trip to Kenya with an American bird guide from Philadelphia and a local driver/guide. Beth was thrilled by the numerous birds sighted, and Frank accomplished one of his dreams to see the wild animals of Africa in their natural habitat.

Frank's legacy survives via his daughter Debra Faris and her husband Rick of Albuquerque; his son Frank Steven Murillo, of Albuquerque and his youngest daughter, Teresa Farkash and her husband Kraig, of Maricopa, Arizona; his stepdaughter Holly Kiernicki, and her husband Karl of Frisco, Texas, his stepson Derek Rast, and his wife JaNae of Mesa, Arizona; his grandchildren Roxanne Garcia (husband Aaron), Carina Kram (husband Jon), David Faris, Krista Kiernicki, Tyler Kiernicki, Jennifer Petrovic and his great-grandchild, Caleb Kram along with numerous nieces and nephews.  

Please consider the conveyance of memorial gifts to any Cancer or Alzheimer's organization in Frank's name in place of flowers.