College, Community, Mourn Palier

Friday, October 6, 2017 at 12:00 AM

A celebratory memorial will be held at 4pm on Tuesday, October17, 2017 in the Performance Hall of the Henderson Fine Arts Center at San Juan College. 4601 College Blvd. Farmington, NM 87402.

San Juan College announced the death of retired political science professor Dr. Judy Palier, 63, on Wednesday. Palier had recently retired from San Juan College in the Spring of 2016, but was still active at the college and in the community. She was a founding board member of Identity, Inc., Farmington's first LGBTQ community center and worked with the local chapter of the NAACP. She provided leadership for many important projects for San Juan College such as San Juan College Safe Zone/Ally, SJC Out and the college's work with La Universidad Autonoma Del Carmen in Mexico.

A celebratory memorial will be held at 4pm on Tuesday, October17, 2017 in the Performance Hall of the Henderson Fine Arts Center at San Juan College. 4601 College Blvd. Farmington, NM 87402.

Palier grew up in Chicago, and when she was eleven, her family moved to the St. Louis area. She spent 15 years in the Denver area before moving south to Albuquerque to attend graduate school.

1992 B.A., Political Science, University of Colorado - Denver
1995 M.A., Political Science, University of New Mexico
2000 Ph.D., Political Science, University of New Mexico
Specializations: Political Theory, Comparative Politics (Latin America)

She joined San Juan College in 1999 and had recently retired in 2016.

Palier enjoyed traveling, visiting Mexico many times and other countries in Latin America including Guatemala and Nicaragua. She also travelled to England, Spain, Morocco and Cuba.

Listen to some programs from the KSJE archives featuring Dr. Palier by clicking the link below.

More from Local News

Whittenberg Convicted of Double Killings

Judge Curtis Gurley sentenced Andrew Whittenberg to two consecutive life sentences, each with a minimum of 30 years, plus an additional 16½ years to be served consecutively, bringing his total sentence to 76½ years in prison.
San Juan Co. to NM: Find Out Why Local Gas Prices Are High

The New Mexico Department of Justice has investigated fuel prices in San Juan County under prior Attorneys General. Investigations were inconclusive, but there was relief at the pump for a brief period. “We just want to be assured that San Juan County is paying what’s fair at the pump,” said Commissioner Lanier. “With limited competition between brands, it is worth checking out.”
Suspect Sought in July 4th Fatal Shooting

Deputies responded to reports of a shooting and located 18-year-old Elihue Vialpando, who had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. A second victim, Jack Chavez, suffered a gunshot wound to his leg and was transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center for treatment. Witness statements revealed Vialpando brandished a pistol and fired rounds earlier in the night, but based on the timeline of events and witness statements, did not support actions by Thomas Vigil.
Farmington Man Sentenced on Child Porn Conviction

Earlier this week, Jacob Marriott was sentenced after pleading guilty to 4 counts of Manufacturing of Child Pornography (2nd Degree Felony), 1 count of Possession of Child Pornography (4th Degree Felony), and 2 counts of Voyeurism of a Child Under 18 (3rd Degree Felony).
Colorado Business Expands in Farmington

NM-backed expansion expected to generate more than $22 million economic impact
2026 NM Primary Local (Unofficial) Results

We'll be updating this page with results throughout the evening on Tuesday, June 2, 2026: These are the unofficial results of the contested NM Primary races in San Juan County on June 2, 2026:

On KSJE Now:

WFMT Orchestra Series
2:00pm - 4:00pm

The WFMT Orchestra Series is a year-round series that combines LA Phil, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and more.
Fiesta!
4:00pm - 5:00pm
Collectors' Corner
5:00pm - 7:00pm

The program features either unusual repertoire that deserves a wider public distribution, or performances unique in their interpretive profile, sense of commitment.