Essie Siglar

Siglar, Essie Essie Mae Siglar, a wonderful person with a business mind and a devoted spirit, who was always friendly and encouraging to others, died April 14, 2014, at the age of 83. Essie was born July 10, 1930 in Terrell, Texas to Dewey O�Neal and Lula Hall. She was raised in Lubbock, Texas, where she graduated from Dunbar High School. She attended college at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas, and received her Master of Education degree in teaching business from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. She loved teaching, from her years as a kindergarten Teacher in Casablanca, Morocco, to a high school business Teacher in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her daughter, Cecillia Siglar-Hailey, was born in Morocco, and her second child, Ricky Alan Siglar, in New Mexico. She retired from the Albuquerque Public Schools System where she taught business at Manzano High School, where both her daughter and her son attended.Essie was a politically active Democrat and received a community service award from former Governor, Bruce King. A God-loving, praying women who loved her church, her family, and her friends, she was a member of Albuquerque�s First Baptist Church where she was a member of the Glory Club Sunday School Class, and a previous Member of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church where she served in many capacities for over 40 years. She was an avid Bible scholar and was a member of BSF (Bible Student Fellowship) something she enjoyed very much. She was a pacesetter, an Organizational Leader and business woman. She was an active leader in Women United for Youth, which provides tutoring for minority students in math and science. She was Coordinator for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural scholarship committee, two causes she greatly believed in, because serving youth was her greatest passion. She was also a long time member of the National Council of Negro Women and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Albuquerque Alumnae Chapter, an organization she loved and cherished. Essie was a private person, extremely wise, very liberal, socially conscientious, highly motivated and innovative. She was a competent and knowledgeable business woman and had several small businesses to her credit. She was a sports enthusiast (especially Pro football, and Lobo basketball), who walked three miles every day before exercising. She was extremely health conscious yet did not forget the finer foods of life. She possessed a contagious laugh, was funny, witty, and loved life to the fullest. She included God in every aspect of her life to the very end. Essie is survived by her children and grandchildren: daughter Cecillia Siglar-Hailey, Her son-in-law (Carlton) of Tucson, Arizona, Her son Ricky Siglar of Overland Park Kansas, and her stepson Keith Siglar, Phoenix, Arizona.; Her grandchildren Chekary �Niqui� Hailey, Cara �Nnenya� Hailey, Cali-Azi �Nazareth� Hailey, Carlen �Naain� Hailey, Jovante� O�Neal Siglar and Bria Janae� Siglar; She is survived by brother, Ross Johnson, and her nieces Shirley Whitefield, Sacramento California, Joyce McKnight Arlington, Texas, Wanda Hall, Dallas Texas, and Violet Bowen; her nephews James and Charles Johnson of Los Angeles, California, along with a host of cousins and friends.