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Juanita Alire Rios died Tuesday evening January 31, 2006 at West Mesa Hospital, Rio Rancho, NM from complications associated with a long illness. Juanita was a life-long citizen of New Mexico being born May 30, 1917 in the Alire Township to the late Sixto Alire and his wife Refugio - founders of the Alire Township and prominent citizens within Rio Arriba County. Juanita's extended family includes the Atencio, Abeyta, Ulibarri, and Gallegos families from Northern New Mexico. Juanita attended rural schools throughout Rio Arriba County before meeting and marrying Pete Rios of Corona, NM. Together, Juanita and Pete had seven children but unfortunately lost four children before Pete's death in 1952. Upon her husband Pete's death, Juanita and her three surviving children -Fred, Ruth, and Leo - settled in Santa Fe where she held numerous positions in Santa Fe's restaurant industry. While in Santa Fe, Juanita was an active member of Saint Anne's Parish. Juanita retired in 1980 and ultimately relocated to Rio Rancho in 1987 where she lived within the Vista Grande Retirement Community. While in Rio Rancho, Juanita remained active in church and family affairs as she was influential in raising eight grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and ultimately 16 great-great-grandchildren. Juanita was deeply involved with every aspect of her Rio Rancho Parish - Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish -where she held numerous volunteer service positions for over 15 years. While in Saint Thomas Aquinas, Juanita made innumerable parish friends of all ages as she served the needs of young and old alike. Juanita was preceded in death by her sisters, Concepcion (infant); Ruth (Sandoval) of Chama, NM; Margaret (Miera) of Canjilon, NM; Susie (infant); and Nilda (Martinez) of Santa Fe, NM; brothers, Sixtito (infant); Paul Alire of Chama, NM; and Waldo Alire of Cebolla, NM. She is survived by her sister, Mary (Chonita) Mascarenas of North Glenn, CO and three children: Fred Rios and his wife, Janice of Mandan, ND; Ruth Duran and her husband, Jimmy of Rio Rancho; Leo Rios of Alexandria, VA and his wife, Billie of Albuquerque, NM. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Mischelle Copeland, her husband, Jim Gilliland of Arlington, TX and their three children; Diane Sandoval, her husband, Charlie of Rio Rancho, NM and their two children; Bill Rios of Dallas, TX and his four children; Michael Rios of Fort Worth, TX and his five children; Wendy Bosch, her husband , Tony of Fort Collins, CO and their three children; Pam Rios, her husband, Robert Callum of Denver, CO, and their child; Victoria Rios-Furlow, her husband, Mike posted with the military at San Angelo, TX and two sons; Leanne Rios and companion, Kent Brown of Vienna, Austria. Services on Friday, February 3, 2006 include a visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. and Rosary services at 7:00 p.m. followed by a Memorial Service at Vista Verde Mortuary at Sara Road and Meadowlark Lane in Rio Rancho. Funeral Services will be held at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish in Rio Rancho, NM on Saturday, February 4, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. with entombment at the Vista Verde Memorial Park at Sara Road and Meadowlark Lane in Rio Rancho immediately following the Funeral Mass. There will be a reception following the entombment ceremony for family and friends at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish Hall. Juanita's family express their deepest appreciation for the support of the Albuquerque Total Community Care / PACE program and the staff of the West Mesa Hospital for their gracious assistance during the last days of her life.
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