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As a young man, Michael Alarid would apply for a job he knew absolutely nothing about, then learn everything he could.

When Alarid was hired as a butcher, he didn't know how to cut meat. So he went to the library and read everything on the subject, said Elizabeth Alarid, his daughter.

"He was a self-taught and a self-made man," she said.

Michael Alarid, a businessman, a state senator and advocate for education, died on Aug. 1. He was 88.

Elizabeth Alarid said her father's determination and work ethic grew from humble beginnings.

Michael Alarid was born March 13, 1919, in Trinidad, Colo., and lived through the Great Depression.

After graduating from high school, he was traveling to California when he made a detour through Albuquerque that changed his life.

He met Stella Salazar riding her bike to a grocery store.

"He was dumbfounded by her," Elizabeth Alarid said. "It was love at first sight."

They were married in 1941 and were married for 66 years.

After serving in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific Ocean, Alarid opened Mike's Food Store at Fourth Street and Atlantic Avenue Southwest.

Alarid wouldn't let customers go hungry, even when they couldn't immediately pay, Elizabeth Alarid said.

"He never denied people food," she said. "He told us to respect and treat people with dignity whether they were the president or the janitor," she said.

While working, Alarid put himself through college and got a bachelor's degree at the University of New Mexico.

Alarid ran the food store for 40 years. He also was a legislator for about 26 years, serving in the state House from 1964-66 and in the state Senate from 1966-92. He took two years off in the Õ70s when he ran unsuccessfully for Congress and mayor. For seven years in the Õ80s, he was Senate majority leader.

Bobby Matteucci, a governing board member at Central New Mexico Community College, said Alarid was instrumental as a senator in helping found the community college.

"This area badly needed career education and economic development education, and he was able to help us meet our goals and get our schools started," Matteucci said.

Michael Glennon, president emeritus of CNM, said Alarid was very passionate about education.

"As a senator his, support for education and TVI (now CNM) was outstanding," he said.

Glennon said, as a friend, Alarid taught him a lot.

"I learned a great deal from Mike about the legislative process and how it worked," he said. "I was able to learn the rules of the Senate and how things got done."

What Michael Alarid strove for in terms of education went back to his humble roots during the Depression and his philosophy at the store.

He believed that nobody should be turned down.

"He wanted a poor person to have an opportunity for education, said Elizabeth Alarid.

Alarid was preceded in death by his wife, Stella Salazar, who died in January; his daughter, Renee Alarid; granddaughter, Denise Alarid; mother, Eutemia Alarid; and father, Victor Alarid.

He is survived by his sister, a son, four daughters and numerous grandchildren.

Services were held Aug. 6 at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 1100 Coal Ave. S.E. A Catholic Mass was to be celebrated on Aug. 7 in his honor at Immaculate Conception Church, 619 Copper Ave. N.W.