Eloisa (Martinez) Pacheco

Eloisa (Martinez) Pacheco, 73, of Española, died on Dec. 12, 2022 after a short illness.

Ellie, as she was better known, was born on Feb. 13, 1949, in Alcalde, to Federico and Ignacia Martinez. She was the youngest of four children and spent most of her life in New Mexico.

Eloisa was a 1969 graduate of Española High School and went to school at Northern New Mexico Community College in El Rito shortly after graduation, to become a cosmetologist. After getting her license, she moved to Green River, Utah, to live with her sister Phoebe, and worked as a cosmetologist and waitress. It’s also where she met and married Richard C. Pacheco, of Massachusetts, who was in the Army.

Their first daughter, Jennifer, was born in 1974. A few months later, they all moved to Bremerhaven, Germany because Richard got stationed there. They remained overseas for about two years, before returning to the United States and moving to Oklahoma, Richard’s next duty station.

Eloisa and Jennifer moved to Española, to be with family, while Richard finished his military service. When he was honorably discharged, he joined them and they made their home in Española. Eloisa went to work as a cosmetologist and worked at Odelia’s Beauty Salon, which was located across the street from Center Market.

Eloisa was very involved in community service and volunteered her time as a Girl Scout leader and PTA member at Fairview Elementary in the early 1980s, when Jennifer was in elementary. She also worked as a substitute teacher for a few years.

She was very creative and was always thinking of new craft ideas for her Brownie troops to make. She also helped run the weekly PTA bake sales at Fairview Elementary.

In 1984, their second daughter, Angel, was born and Eloisa stopped working to stay at home with her. She later returned to college in the late 1980s and obtained a degree in word processing. She was the first in her family to graduate from college.

She enjoyed crocheting and made some beautiful blankets and doilies. She enjoyed visiting with her family in Alcalde and would often go there to see them. She also visited with her parents on a daily basis.

Eloisa is preceded in death by her parents Federico and Ignacia Martinez, maternal grandparents Amavilis and Maria de la Luz Bustos of Alcalde, paternal grandparents Simon and Bernardita Martinez, aunts Ruby Martinez, Estella Martinez, Ernestina Martinez, Eloisa Bustos, Teresina Tafoya and uncles Arsenio Martinez, Ignacio Maestas, Dionicio (Danny) Bustos and Tomas Bustos, as well as many cousins and other relatives. She’s also preceded in death by her ex-husband Richard Pacheco and son-in-law Benjamin Lujan.

She is survived by her daughters Angel Pacheco-Lujan and Jennifer Garcia (Alex), her grandsons Sebastian Garcia and Anthony Terry, her brother Wilfred Martinez (Wanda) of California, sisters Phoebe Suntjens (Dennis) of Colorado and Mary Lou Deritis of Clovis, N.M. She’s also survived by three nieces and a nephew, great-nieces, great-nephews, many cousins and other relatives.

The following will serve as pallbearers: Alex Garcia, Sebastian Garcia, Leroy Martinez, Orlando Martinez, Eric Bustos and Rudy Gonzales. Honorary Pallbearer Eddie Tafoya.

A Rosary will be recited on Tuesday December 27, 2022 at 6 pm with public visitation to begin at 5:30 pm in the Sangre De Christo Chapel at DeVargas Funeral Home. Mass will be held at 12:00 pm on Wednesday December 28, 2022 at Sacred Heart Church in Espanola, NM. Burial to follow at the San Antonio Cemetery in Alcalde, NM.

The family of Eloisa has entrusted the gentle care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home of the Espanola Valley. (505)747-7477 devargasfunerals.com