ERMELINDA GUTIERREZ, 79, of Las Vegas, N.M., died Wednesday at Northeastern Regional Hospital.
She was born in Trujillo. She loved to crochet and cook. She was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Fidencio Gutierrez and Anita Blake Gutierrez.
She is survived by her children, Sally Gallegos, Ruben Salazar and Rosemary Veledez, Lorenzo Gutierrez and wife Mary, Arnold Gutierrez and Floyd Gutierrez, all of Las Vegas, N.M., and Lorraine Veledez of Las Cruces; 10 grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
Cremation has taken place. A funeral will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Sorrows Church with burial to follow at San Jose Cemetery.
Rogers Mortuary, (800) 479-3511.
Dated: March 6, 2004
BILLIE ROSE "COTTON FLOWER" TAFOYA-LEE, 74, of Santa Clara Pueblo died Thursday after a long illness.
She was a very religious woman. She loved to dance in pow wows and loved to work with pottery. She was a loving grandmother and great-grandmother and enjoyed the company of her family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lincoln and Rosa May Ahdosy; son, Claude Tafoya; and first husband, Jose D. Tafoya Sr.
She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Lee of Santa Clara; children, Darrell Tafoya Sr. and wife Virginia, Lincoln Tafoya and wife Judy, Rose Tafoya and husband Jonathan Tsoodle and Jose D. Tafoya Jr. and companion Emily, Phyllis Hemlock, Matthew Tafoya and wife Phyllis and Allison L. Tafoya, all of Santa Clara Pueblo; Phillip Tafoya and wife Velma of North Carolina; sisters, Marie Saupitty and Vivian Gooday, both of Oklahoma; brothers, Standford Saupitty and wife Virginia and Carnie Saupitty, all of Oklahoma; half sisters, Charlotte Doxtater, Edna Bointy, Mary Beth Bointy and Donna Bointy, all of Oklahoma; half brothers, Jack, Hess and Joe Bill Bointy, all of Oklahoma; 24 grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
A public visitation will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday p.m. followed by a wake service at 7 p.m. at the family home in Santa Clara Pueblo. A funeral service will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at the same location with burial to follow at Santa Clara Pueblo Cemetery.
DeVargas Funeral Home of the Espaņola Valley, (505) 747-7477.
Dated: March 6, 2004
MARIA CELANI MEDINA, 85, of Encinal died Wednesday after a long illness.
She was born in Caņoncito.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Demetrio and Genoveva Pando; husband, Jose Demetrio Medina; son, Frank A. Medina; and sisters, Corina Martinez and Carolina Montoya.
She is survived by her children, Ricardo Medina and wife Fiddie of Mora, Antonio Medina and Deborah of Encinal, Feliciano Medina and wife Eleanor of Security, Colo., Jose Medina and wife Carol of Denver, Margaret Flores, Genevieve Logan and husband Fred, all of Albuquerque, Carlos Medina and wife JoAnn of Taos, Fabby Cordova and husband Ernest of Cuba, Julia Montoya and husband Ricardo of Las Cruces, and Bertha Martinez and husband Carlos of Los Chupaderos; 26 grandchildren; sister, Juanita Martinez of Salt Lake City, Utah; brothers, Jacabo Pando and wife Eulalia of West Jordan, Utah, Corsinio Pando of Cleveland, N.M., and Rosendo Pando and wife Lillian of West Jordan, Utah; and many other relatives, stepsiblings and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Church of Christ in Cleveland, N.M., with burial to follow at the Agua Negra Presbyterian Cemetery in Holman.
Rogers Mortuary, (505) 425-3511.
Dated: March 6, 2004
PAUL VERNON WYKERT, 82, of Santa Fe died Wednesday.
He was born in Omaha, Neb. He served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army. He graduated from the University of Idaho, with a degree in forestry and became a ranger in Yellowstone National Park, beginning a long and rewarding career in the Park Service. He held positions in Sequoia National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, culminating as superintendent of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. As a recreation planner with the Park Service, he worked on proposed areas prior to their placement into the national parks system. These areas included Canyonlands National Park, Guadalupe National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, Fort Davis, Fort Bowie and Golden Spike National Historic Site. He was an avid skier, tennis player and cyclist. He loved the outdoors.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leland and Gertrude Wykert.
He is survived by his wife, Norma Wykert of Santa Fe; sons, Wade D. of Laramie, Wyo., and Todd F. Wykert of Casper, Wyo.; daughter, Lacy Wykert-Bearden of Longmont, Colo., and four grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the National Diabetes Assoc., 525 San Pedro, NE, Suite 101, Albuquerque, N.M., 87108, or to your favorite charity.
No public services are planned. Burial will take place at a later date at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
McGee Memorial Chapel, 983-9151.
Dated: March 6, 2004
ALICE GRIEGO, 84, of Dixon died Monday.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eliseo Griego; mother, Elena Griego; father, Bernabe Griego; and brothers, Juan and Manuel Griego. She is survived by her sons, Bernabe Griego and wife Evelyn, and Gilbert Griego and wife Maggie; Helen Quintana; six grandchildren; brothers and sister, Ernesto, Celestino, and Samuel Griego and Lorraine Chavez; and many other relatives and friends. Visitation will be held at 4 p.m. today with a devotional service to follow at 7 p.m. at the Apostolic Praise Temple in Dixon. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the same church with burial to follow at the Apostolic Cemetery. DeVargas Funeral Home of the Espaņola Valley, (505) 747-7477.
Dated: March 10, 2004
JOSE VICENTE "BOBO" CRUZ JR., 45, of Chamita died Saturday. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jose Vicente and Santana V. Cruz. He is survived by his brothers, Leonard Baros and companion Peggy Vigil, Ronald Cruz and companion Cecilia Herrera and Jeff Montoya; sisters, Maria Mascarenas and husband Harold, Berna Herrera and husband Manuel, Juanita Martinez and companion Bert Jacquez, Sharon Munoz and husband Cesario, Beverly Gonzales and husband Carlos, Debbie Gallegos, Pam Cruz and companion Gene Herrera, Lori Cruz, and Valerie Quezada; and many other relatives and friends. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. today at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in San Juan Pueblo with burial to follow at San Pedro Cemetery in Chamita. Block-Salazar Mortuary of Espaņola, 1 (800) 443-4854.
Dated: March 10, 2004
FRANK A. MONTOYA, 84, of Espaņola died Sunday after a long illness. He was a World War II veteran. He worked for the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he retired after 32 years. He loved his cattle, horses and his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Antonio and Marina Montoya; and sister, Carolina Lefevre. He is survived by his wife, Polly Montoya of Espaņola; sister, Lola Valdez of El Gauche; 9 grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. today at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Espaņola with burial to follow at 3 p.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. DeVargas Funeral Home of the Espaņola Valley, (505) 747-7477.
Dated: March 10, 2004
GILBERT J. QUINTANA, 64, of Las Vegas, N.M., died Sunday at St. Vincent Hospital. He was born in Los Hueros. He was a former resident of Rock Springs, Wyo. He worked in the coal mines as a miner in Wyoming. He enjoyed watching sports on television, especially football (San Francisco 49ers) and wrestling. He loved to fish and cook. He was preceded in death by his parents, Florencio Quintana and Clorinda Pacheco Quintana; and brothers, Elias Quintana and Jose Quintana. He is survived by his daughter, Victoria Quintana; and many other relatives and friends. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. today at Nuestra Seņora de Guadalupe Church in Ocate with burial to follow at San Juan Bautista Cemetery in Los Hueros. Rogers Mortuary, (505) 425-3511.
Dated: March 10, 2004
F.C. VILLANUEVA, 83, of Villanueva died Sunday after a long battle with emphysema. A World War II army veteran, he was a Private 1st Class with C Company, 274th Infantry stationed in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and the United States. He received the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal. After serving in the army, he was a ranch hand and well driller before starting his career with AT&SF, as a machine operator. After 28 years of service he retired, and enjoyed 20 years of retirement. His love for the land included horses and harvesting peach trees. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Villanueva. He was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Rebecca Villanueva; brothers, Ramon Villanueva-Montoya, Pablo Villanueva, Cipriano and Alfonso Villanueva, Manuel Villanueva Jr.; and daughter, Juanita Villanueva. He is survived by his wife, Maria Petrita Villanueva; children, Margaret Jaramillo and husband Joe, Alice Aragon and husband Raymond, Lucille Quintana and husband David, David Acosta and husband Alonzo, all of Roswell, Elizabeth Sena and husband Lou of Albuquerque, Rudy Villanueva and wife Eva, Piedad Villanueva, and Leroy Villanueva and wife Leora, all of Villanueva, Lorella Rivera and husband Mark and James Villanueva and wife Olympia, all of Ribera; 29 grandchildren; sisters, Julia Lewis of Las Vegas, N.M., and Tillie Silva of Salt Lake City; brothers, Prudencio Villanueva and wife Linda of Anton Chico, Carlos Villanueva of Villanueva, Leandro Villanueva and wife Theresa and Robert Villanueva, all of Albuquerque; and many other relatives and friends. A visitation for family and friends will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Rogers Chapel. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Villanueva. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the same church with burial to follow at the family cemetery in Villanueva. Rogers Mortuary, (505) 425-3511.
Dated: March 10, 2004
