Eleen Cordova

Eleen V. Cordova, 84-years-old, passed away on September 12, 2024, in Rio Rancho, NM. Born on August 16, 1940, in Tehran., Iran, Eleen lived a life marked by deep faith in Christ, love of family and friends, adventure in travel and service I church and community, touching the lives of of all who knew her.

Eleen’s career was as vibrant and varied as her personality. She first worked at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran where she met her husband, Joe Cordova, TSGT, USAF. Amidst the Iran Revolution, they moved to Istanbul, Turkey, and later to the United States, settling in Illinois, Ohio, and finally New Mexico. Stateside, she managed the Commissary at Glenview Naval Air Station and later served as a Loan Officer at Wells Fargo Bank, from where she retired.

Her commitment to faith was evident through her active participation at First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho for over three decades. Eleen served as a greeter, was involved in Sunday School, outreach programs, and visited the sick and shut-ins, fully embracing her church community.

Travel was one of Eleen’s greatest passions. Her adventures took her across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Alongside Joe, she enjoyed numerous road trips, always eager to explore new horizons and share these experiences with her loved ones. At home, her interests were diverse, from exercising and reading to learning to play the piano and attending cultural events and game-nights with her dear friends.

Eleen was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel and Rosa Bet- David; brothers, Victor, Johnny, and her husband Joe Cordova. She is survived by her brother, Gabrel Derik Bet-David; niece, Polet Bet- Davide Sabetimani (Simak) and their children Grace and Sean; nephew Patrick Bet- David (Jennifer) and their children, Patrick, Dylan, Senna, and Brooklyn; and cousins Margaret Lazar, Patrick Lazar, Alfred Lazar, and Patricia Carwell.

A service to honor Eleen’s life will be held at First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 11:00 am. She will be buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, next to her husband.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, Samaritan’s Purse, Mercy Ships, World Vision, or the disabled Veterans; all organizations that were close to Eleen’s heart. Eleens’s legacy of love, faith, service, and adventure will forever be cherished by those who were fortunate to know her. She is dearly missed by those she leaves behind but is happy and whole in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.