Josephine "JoAnne" Herrera Sears

Josephine Ann “JoAnne” Herrera Sears
September 15, 1946 - October 24, 2016


Our Mother JoAnne was born on September 15, 1946 to Loretto J Herrera (deceased) and Rosemary Herrera. She was the oldest of 4 children. Morris Herrera and wife Diana, Veronica Herrera and Therese Casaus and husband Ernie. As children they had a happy and full life. Mom had a very special relationship with her grandparents David and Gertrude Salazar (deceased). In 1958 her parents purchased the family home and she attended Jackson Junior High and Manzano High School.

In 1963 she met the love of her life Jack R Sears (deceased) and they were married on July 25, 1965. Together they spent their lives side by side in a whirlwind life that included hunting, fishing, boating, traveling on their motorcycle as members of the GWRRA, and competing in the Mountain Man competitions as members of The NM Big Horn Gun Club and the NM Mountain Men. But above all things important to Mom was her family, blood or not. She devoted her life caring for everyone close to her. If you called she would not only answer but she would come to where ever you were and help in any way she could. Anyone that needed a place to go, she took them in. Children, Jackie McGinty and husband George, Loretta Appleberry and husband Randy (deceased) often joked about her home being called JoAnne’s house of strays. When her Stepdaughter Debbie Boggus moved to Albuquerque she opened her home and her heart to her. No heart could be more pure.

Mom was an amazing seamstress. She made some of the most beautiful wedding gowns. She also enjoyed crocheting, making specialty candies, and painting ceramics. She had many jobs in her life but the closest to her heart was becoming a home based caregiver for adult individuals that have developmental disabilities. That is when Juan Ortega joined our lives. My mom loved him so much that she kept a very close relationship with him after his time came to move on.

She always had faith, but she was on fire for her faith and religion when she converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She answered a calling to work at the Family History Center. She loved her service there and looked forward to going in to help others research their family’s history.

When our dad fell ill she gave everything she had to caring for him. She rarely left his side. When he passed in July 2010 her heart was broken. Not a day passed that she didn’t tell one of us that she missed him and couldn’t wait to be with him. As she began to struggle with her health she drew strength from her family. She looked forward to the visits from her grandchildren Jeff Arms and girlfriend Stephanie McGinty, Jeanette Mahan and husband Martin, Gennifer Prue, Alisha Ringgold and husband Tyler, Jessica Arms, and Joshua Erdman. But her heart belonged to her best friends, her reason for living as long as she did, her moon and stars, her great grandchildren Aubree, Ryleigh, Ariel, Zoey, Penny, Zachary, Cassie, Alexia, Jonah, and Adriana.


Please join us, as we gather to celebrate her life here on earth, November 15, 2016 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 12701 Indian School Rd NE at 10:00 am. Burial to follow at The Santa Fe National Cemetery at 3:00 pm November 15, 2016.
CARLISLE CHAPEL
3113 Carlisle Blvd. NE
Albuquerque NM 87110