CHARLES A. ORTEGA, 73, of Española died Monday. He was born July 17, 1930, in Del Norte, Colo.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Larry Ortega and Matthew Ortega; his mother, Manuela Atencio; father, Noberto Atencio; and a sister, Theresa Rivera.
He is survived by his wife, Elsie Ortega of the home; three sons, Nathaniel "Neil" Ortega and wife Jeanette of Española, James Ortega of Albuquerque, and Andrew Ortega of Albuquerque; two daughters, Pethrea and husband Alton Walsh of Santa Fe, and Charlene Ortega of Phoenix, Ariz.; two brothers, Vicente Atencio and wife Viola, and Jerry Atencio and wife Sylvia all of Española; 15 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Block-Salazar Mortuary. Christian Burial is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at the Holy Cross Cemetery. An Eight Day Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Sept. 16 at La Iglesia de Santa Cruz de la Cañada.
Salazar Family of Block-Salazar Mortuary.
Dated: November 9, 2003
FRED P. ROMERO II, 83, died Saturday following a lengthy illness. He was born Oct. 29, 1919, in Peralta. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He retired from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture after 30 years of service, where he received both state and national awards. He served as secretary-treasurer for the New Mexico Conservation District, and board of directors of East Rio Arriba Soil and Water Conservation District. He was a member of La Iglesia de Santa Cruz de la Cañada. As a member of the Knights of Columbus, he served as grand knight, recorder, treasurer and financial secretary for 19 years, and on the board of trustees.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Federico and Francesquita Romero; his brother, Americo Romero; and sisters, Eloisa Barela, Eileen Romero Gordon and Sister Marcianne Romero, OSM.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Elvira Romero; his children, Magdalena Romero and companion Mike Lucero, Anna Romero, Marcianne Miller and husband Wayne, Beth Martinez and husband Alex, Fred P. Romero III and wife Carmella; seven grandchildren; and other relatives and friends.
Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at La Iglesia de Santa Cruz de la Cañada with interment to follow at 2:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
DeVargas Funeral Home of the Española Valley.
Dated: November 9, 2003
CLAUDE H. "SMITTY" SMITH, 83, died Aug. 13, 2003, at the Santa Fe Care Center. He was born on Dec. 8, 1919, in Washington County, Ind., to William Simon Smith and Ida Mae Walton. He graduated from Monroe Township High School, Washington County, Ind., and then enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941, serving his country for six years. He met and married Beatriz Gonzales while stationed in Santa Fe. He worked for the University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for 15 years. He then returned to Indiana where he spent time with his family and worked at Smith's Furniture Factory. Returning to Santa Fe, he enjoyed his retirement years.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Madeline.
He is survived by his children, Carolyn Hagman and husband Ben, and Linda Trujillo and husband Manuel; sister, Kathleen Jackson of Salem, Ind.; six grandsons; six great-grandchildren and one niece.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. today at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the church or charity of your choice.
McGee Memorial Chapel.
Dated: November 9, 2003
BARBARA VALENTA, 66, of Staten Island, N.Y., internationally renowned artist and committed teacher, died Aug. 1 at home. She created a legacy of imaginative, cutting-edge art works for which she received widespread critical acclaim. Born Barbara Simons in Manhattan, she moved to Larchmont, N.Y., as a child, and to Weston, Conn., in the early 1950s. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. She relocated to Los Alamos, N.M., in 1960 where she met her husband of 41 years, Milton Valenta. In 1967, she moved to Vienna, Austria, where her work was exhibited in several galleries and where she won first prize in an international sculpture competition honoring the 100th birthday of the automotive pioneer Ferdinand Porsche.
In 1978, she returned to Los Alamos, and in 1980 she had a one-woman show at the New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts in Santa Fe. She moved to Montclair, N.J., in 1981 and settled in Staten Island in 1984. She began her involvement with the city program "Studio in a School," where she brought art classes to Latino students in East Harlem and to students on Staten Island. She also taught at the former Brooklyn campus of the Pratt Institute. She had a one-woman show at the Betty Parsons Gallery in Midtown Manhattan, as well as shows at the World Trade Center and the OK Harris gallery in the SoHo section of Manhattan. She was also praised as the author of the inventive book, "Pop-o-mania," a children's book on how to make pop-up books.
In addition to her husband, Milton, surviving are a daughter, Markha Valenta; a granddaughter, Elia; a stepmother, Alice Simons; brothers, Bill Simons and Issac Simons; and four sisters, Joan Constantikes, Edna Alvarez, Gail Humphreys and Brook Dougherty.
A memorial service was held at the Staten Island Children's Museum at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center where she had hosted many craft workshops and which is also the site of her child-friendly interactive sculpture, "The Wagon."
Dated: November 9, 2003
JOHN D. LUCERO, 76, died Monday. He was a resident of the Pojoaque Valley for more than 50 years. He was born on June 22, 1927 in Rowe and grew up in the mining town of Terrero, north of Pecos and La Joya. He was employed as an accountant by Los Alamos National Laboratory and retired in 1990 after 38 years of service. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife, Libby; his "querido hijo," Pat; parents, Filiberto and Luisita Dean; sister, Julia; and brothers, Bernardino and Sam. He is survived by his children, Ron and wife Leonor, Theresa and husband Henry, and Robert; his brother, Joe A. Lucero and wife Maria; sister, Ruby Romero; eight grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends. Visitation will begin at 3 p.m. today, and a rosary will be recited at 7 p.m., both at Berardinelli Family Chapel. Mass will be celebrated at 8 p.m. Friday at St. Francis Cathedral. Burial will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Berardinelli Family Funeral Service.
Dated: November 4, 2003
GEORGIA C. MARES, 80, died Tuesday. She was born on Feb. 22, 1923, in El Carmel and has been a resident of La Mesilla for the past 17 years. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Dolores Benavidez; her mother, Anne and father Esequiel Lucero; and sisters, Regina and Nettie. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Miguel (Mike) Mares Sr. of La Mesilla; sons, Mike Mares Jr. and wife Margaret of Pueblo, Colo., Roy Mares and wife Gladys of Buena Vista; a daughter, Lydia and husband Robert Lopez of Española; a grandson whom she raised, Wil Mares and wife Gidget of Las Vegas, Nev.; 10 other grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; three sisters; two brothers; and many other relatives and friends. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. today at Block-Salazar Mortuary, and a rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. at La Iglesia de Santa Cruz de la Cañada. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday at the St. Gertrude Church in Mora. Burial will follow at the Family Cemetery in Buena Vista. Salazar Family of Block Salazar Mortuary.
Dated: November 4, 2003
DR. CARLOS RUBIO, a prominent surgeon, died Monday in Las Vegas, N.M. He was born in Las Vegas on Nov. 13, 1954, to the late Juan Carlos Rubio and Margaret Rubio-Sandoval. He was a graduate of Robertson High School and earned his bachelor's degree in biology at the University of New Mexico, as well as his medical doctorate. In August 1973, he married Catherine Gallegos and through that union they had three children. After medical school, he spent 10 years as an active duty Navy medical officer, where he completed his residency in general surgery. He retired from active duty in 1994, but remained a Navy reservist, achieving the rank of captain. At that point, he returned to Las Vegas, N.M., to fulfill his lifelong dream of offering medical care and improving lives in the community he considered home. While in Las Vegas, he was selected and inducted into the Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was adamant about not refusing medical service to anyone, regardless of financial resources, and he often provided his services without financial gain. He worked to improve the quality of care not only in Las Vegas, N.M., but throughout the state of New Mexico. In March, he was called upon to serve his country in Iraq, and because of his surgical skills, he was able to treat and save the lives of servicemen and servicewomen. During this tour of duty in Iraq, he became ill and continued to perform his duties as an officer and surgeon, not once allowing his poor health to stand in the way of his commitment to his country. In early July, he was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer. It was his diligence and work ethic that gained him the respect and admiration of senior officers and comrades alike. He returned to the United States and was being treated at Balboa Navy Hospital in San Diego. At his request, he returned to Las Vegas, N.M., to spend time with his family and friends before having to return to San Diego to continue treatment. He passed away at 5:43 p.m. Monday. He was preceded in death by his father, Juan Carlos Rubio; his paternal grandparents, Gregorio and Fermelina Rubio; maternal grandfather, Edwardo Gurule; his granddaughter, Jennifer Ann Maes; and many aunts and uncles. He is survived by his lifelong friend, partner and mother of his children, Catherine Rubio of Las Vegas, N.M.; his three children, Damian C. Rubio of Las Cruces, Ann-Renee Maes and husband William J. Maes Jr. of Las Vegas, N.M., and Gabriel Rubio and wife Jaclyn Rubio of Oxnard, Calif.; two grandchildren; sister, Dolores Rubio and husband; brother Juan Rubio and wife Rose, all of Las Vegas, N.M.; mother, Margaret Rubio-Sandoval and husband Max Sandoval; sister, Cathy Vargas; brothers, Johnny Rubio and wife Delia, Greg Rubio, Phil Rubio and Michael Rubio, all of San Diego; and many other relatives and friends. Private services will be held for the immediate family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Northeastern Regional Hospital's indigent fund. Nelson Funeral Home.
Dated: November 4, 2003
JAMES SENA, 48, of Las Vegas, N.M., died Saturday.
He is survived by his parents, Tranquilino and Sara Sena of Las Vegas, N.M.; one son, Dave Sena of Las Vegas, N.M.; one daughter, Annette Lujan and her husband George of Las Vegas, N.M.; three sisters, Margie Lopez and her husband Tony of Denver, Irene Sandoval and her husband Orlando of Las Vegas, N.M., and Rose Pacheco and her husband Luis of Denver; and one grandson, Steven Lujan of Las Vegas, N.M.
A prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. today at Gonzales Memorial Chapel followed by a rosary at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Friday at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
Burial will follow at the Masonic Cemetery.
Gonzales Funerals & Cremations.
Dated: November 4, 2003
