Margarita Isela Ramirez

Margarita Isela Ramirez, age 90, passed away Sunday, February 16, 2020 at home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was born in El Paso, Texas on August 28, 1929 to Eduardo Porras and Antonia Suarez Porras.

She moved from El Paso to Albuquerque with her family after graduating high school. Margarita met the love of her life (“my baby”), Gilbert Ramirez, shortly after moving to Albuquerque. They were married on February 28, 1948 and stayed together for over 60 years until his death.

Her first job was working in her father’s neighborhood grocery store in El Paso and then in his restaurant and later his grocery store in Albuquerque. She worked briefly at Sandia National Laboratories in the secretarial pool. She spent many years working in the accounting department of the New Mexico Employment Security Department. She was an “Avon Lady” for over 20 years and won many sales and longevity awards.

Margarita loved God, her family, music, dancing and the color blue!!! She was a member of Queen of Heaven Catholic Church from its earliest years of existence. A dedicated mother, who cherished and loved her large family. Margarita and Gilbert have 35 direct descendants, including 5 children, 13 grandchildren, and 17 great grandchildren. She was an excellent cook and always happy to feed whoever showed up at her house, anytime. She enjoyed her music immensely and would burst out in song frequently. Whenever anyone asked her how she was her reply was to sing “I’m blessed, I’m blessed, I’m blessed”. She spent the last 10 years of her life under the care of the beautiful loving staff at Manzano del Sol Village, a Good Samaritan Society facility, always exclaiming “they take good care of me here!”

Margarita was preceded in death by her parents, Eduardo and Antonia, daughter Toni Smith, son Ricardo, brother Eduardo Porras, sister Toni Sombrano, brother Israel David, great grandson Anthony Xavier (Son of Rick Ramirez) and great granddaughter Gweneth (daughter of John and Amber Menard).

Margarita is survived by her son-in-law Ken Smith, daughter Lynn Gonzalez and husband Paul, son David and wife Carol, son Ernest and wife Nancy, sister Irene Ortega, sister Hope Clark, grandchildren Chris Smith and wife Kristi (Jacob, Ethan, Caleb), Loren Jaramillo and wife Misty (Vincenzo, Gianna), Aaron Jaramillo and wife Joy (Leia, Steven), Rebekah Gonzalez, David Ramirez Jr. and wife Tamara (Genevieve, Aurelia), Sheryl Weldon and husband Jerry (Jerry III, Lydia). Amber Menard and husband John (Jamisen, Jonah), Jared Ramirez and wife Phylicia (Eli), Rick Ramirez and wife Jennifer (Marrisa), Michael Ramirez, Victoria Ramirez and fiancé Ricky Brigance, and a huge extended family.

Her family will miss her greatly, but we are comforted to know that she is reunited with the love of her life (Gilbert), in the presence of the Lord. We are all thinking that they danced this year on his birthday to music by Frank Sinatra (maybe she finally got to meet him). Mom – “we love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck”.

A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 3113 Carlisle Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM. Interment to follow at 12:30 p.m. at Mount Calvary Cemetery, 1900 Edith Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Manzano del Sol Village, 5201 Roma Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108 in her memory.