|
Mary L. Armijo, age 87, a resident of Las Vegas, New Mexico, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 24,2005 at Laurel Health Care in Albuquerque, NM. For the last two months of her life she exhibited grace, dignity and strength in dealing with her brief final illness, and with her gentle manner and wit she continued to inspire her family and friends to the day of her passing. She was born on December 23, 1917 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to the late Henry Cabeza de Vaca and Peregrina Baca. After graduating from Albuquerque High School in 1936, she attended secretarial school in Albuquerque, and became a career woman at the time when there were few opportunities available to a young women. She began working at Kirtland Air Field in the years before WWII. She often recalled the thrill of meeting actor Jimmy Stewart when he visited the base during the war years. In 1939, Mary and her best friend, Mary Jean Armijo (who many years later would become her sister-in-law), pooled their savings and commenced a cross-country journey by rail that took them to the New York World's Trade Fair where she remembered seeing the great Gypsy Rose Lee. Then they traveled on to Washington, DC, where they were guests of family and friends, U.S. Senator Dennis Chavez and Mrs. Chavez. Shortly after the war, she married Luis Armijo and began a career in Las Vegas with the State of New Mexico. She retired from her job as a supervisor with the New Mexico Dept. of Human Services in 1983 after thirty three years of service. During her retirement years, she was actively involved with the New Mexico Public Employees Retirement Association and the efforts to secure better health coverage for state retirees. She was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, and was an active member of the Catholic Daughters of Americas Court #1301 for over fifty years, State Retirees Association, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Las Vegas Women's Club, AARP and Senior Circle. Her great loves were her grandchildren and New Mexico History. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry Cabeza de Vaca and Peregrina Baca; and her loving husband, Luis Armijo; and her father and mother-in-law, District Judge Luis E. Armijo and Eugenia Delgado Armijo. She is survived by her daughters, United States District Judge Christina Armijo, Francesca Armijo, Patricia Armijo Vigil and son-in-law, David; son, Luis E. Armijo II; sister, Dolly Montoya and husband, Rudolph; sisters-in-law, Mary Jean Maas, Carmen A. Blattman and Josephine Harter; her special friends, Nea Escudero and Manuelita Lucero; Comadre, Margaret Geffroy; grandchildren, David and wife Stacey, Deanna Romero and husband Roam, Alyassea Vigil, Lorenzo Vigil and wife, Terecita, Loran Vigil and wife, Lynette, Dawn Matrotti and husband, David, Heather Montoya, Harmoni Krusing, Sterling Krusing; great-grandchildren, Warren Vigil, Olivia Matrotti, Devon Vigil,, Taylor Vigil Joslyn Olivas, Ilyanna Mae Vigil, Carolina Romero and Alexandra Urioste; god-children: Roberto C. Armijo, Paul Montoya, David Vigil and Heather Ann Montoya; special nephew, Ted Flores and wife Mary Helen; cousins, Carment Alvarez, Alice CdeBaca, Adelade Mackel, Donald Martinez, Elba CdeBaca, Carmen Pace, and many, many, friends, cousins, nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank the nurses an staff of Presbyterian Hospital, Anna Kaseman Hospital, Laurel View Healthcare and Presbyterian Hospice for the good care they provided. Viewing is schedule from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, at Rogers Chapel. Rosary devotional services will be held on Tuesday, March 29 at 7:00 o'clock p.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Las Vegas, NM. Funeral devotional services will be celebrated on March 30th 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Sorrows Church with Father George Salazar as celebrant. A private burial will be held at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Habitat for Humanities or the American Cancer society. Arrangements are under the direction of the Rogers Mortuary Las Vegas, New Mexico 1-800-479-3511 505-425-3511
|
