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BACA, LOUISE D. of Albuquerque, died of natural causes on October 19, 2013. Louise was born in Albuquerque on February 27, 1916. She graduated from Albuquerque High School and attended the University of New Mexico before beginning her teaching career in Tome, a small mountain community outside of Albuquerque. She earned her B. A. degree from St. Joseph College. In 1939, Louise Duran married Presente A. Baca of Albuquerque. The couple relocated to Santa Fe where Louise taught second grade at Alvord Elementary School for 18 years. She then served as Director of the Head Start/Follow-Through Program in the Santa Fe City Schools until her retirement. After completing her teaching career, Louise became widely-known in various religious, philanthropic, and volunteering communities in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. She was full of energy, helping others, always hopeful, a doer. A devout Roman Catholic, she served the San Felipe Church in many capacities, including teaching in the Franciscan Order. She participated in a ministry for offenders in the Albuquerque detention and correction facilities. She was a docent the New Mexico Museum of History. She also participated in three overseas church pilgrimages, traveling to Mexico, Western Europe, and the Middle East. Louise Baca is survived by four children: Dr. Maxine Baca Zinn (Alan), Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University; Alvin Baca, retired association executive and Vietnam Veteran; William Baca (Camilla), retired art curator, State of New Mexico, and Maria Elena Ayala (Zeferino), teacher and counselor, Valencia County. Other survivors include a sister, Helen Pacias of Albuquerque, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A Rosary will be held at 7:00 pm., Thursday, October 24, and a funeral Mass will be held on Friday, October 25th, both at San Felipe de Neri Church with interment to follow at Santa Fe Rosario Cemetery.
        Published on: Wed October 23, 2013