Josephine "Josie" Benavides Madrid

Josephine “Josie” Benavides Madrid died on March 1st, 2015 at her daughter’s home in Pojoaque, New Mexico, surrounded by her loving family, following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She was 87 years old. Josephine shared two children, Robert and Sandra in Las Cruces with her former spouse, Henry Madrid who preceded her in death in 1968. Josie as her family called her was born in LaVerne, California to Francisco Benavides and Carolina Trujillo on November 8, 1927. She was the youngest of five children with 3 brothers and 1 sister. Josephine is survived by her children whom she was so proud of and loved with all her heart: son, Robert Thomas and daughter-in-law Deborah Madrid of Silver City, New Mexico; daughter Sandra Massengill and son-in-law John Massengill of Pojoaque, New Mexico; and four grandchildren that were the light of her life: Melissa and Whitney Madrid, Lauren and Chase Massengill; along with many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her brothers: Thomas Benavides of El Monte, CA; Florencio Benavides of Los Angeles, CA; Ernesto Benavides of Las Cruces, NM; and her only sister, Carolina Benavides Paz of Las Cruces, NM. She is also survived by a large extended family that loved her like their mother and included members of the Paz, Paredes, Camunez, Madrid, Benavides, and Nevarez families. After her graduation in 1945 from Union High School, Las Cruces, NM, Josephine assisted as a volunteer in the wartime effort with the Red Cross during WWII. During this period, she began her career as a bookkeeper at Popular Dry Goods in Las Cruces, New Mexico, until her retirement after 40 years. Following her retirement, she moved to the Pojoaque Valley in Northern New Mexico where she was actively and lovingly involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She was both a loving and caring mother to her children as well as a fun loving auntie to her many nieces and nephews who affectionately called her “Auntie Dodo”.\r\n \r\nA rosary and celebratory mass was held March 9 and 10, 2015 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Nambe, New Mexico. A funeral mass will take place in southern New Mexico on Friday April 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Mesilla, New Mexico at the Basilica of San Albino Catholic Church. The church is located on the Mesilla Plaza at the corner of Calle Principal and Santiago Street. The Family of Josephine Benavides Madrid has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Espanola Valley. \r\n \r\n \r\n

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