Hipolita Fernandez

On April 7, 2020, HIPOLITA R. FERNANDEZ , left us to be with her Lord and Savior and her family in Heaven. Hipolita “Polly” Romero Fernandez was born in Truchas on August 22, 1924 to Beatriz Dominguez Romero and Vidal Romero. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband of 70 years, Delfido Fernandez; father-in-law, Gregorio Fernandez; mother-in-law, Margarita Tafoya; sister, Amelia Maestas and husband Joe; sister, Clorinda Fernandez and husband Delfino; sister, Teresina Serrano and husband Eduvigen; brothers, Cosme Romero and wife Carmelita and Ernesto Romero and wife Lucy; sister-in-law, Celina and husband Willie; nieces, Lillian Maestas, Velma Abeyta, Angie Martinez and Susie Romero; nephews, Samuel T. Romero, Barney Trujillo Sr., Eluid Fernandez and Wilbur Fernandez. After finishing high school, Polly got married and became a homemaker. She gave birth to 2 girls and 3 boys. Two of the boys passed away as babies. As part of being a homemaker she would can fruits and vegetables and she would make jams and jellies. She loved to bake, especially cakes and her pies were most delicious. Time and time again you would find her taking mantas down, washing them and tacking them to the ceiling, painting rooms different colors and wall papering the rooms. Her father taught her to make adobes and lay the bricks to add rooms to their house. She and the family made the adobe bricks that she and her husband used to double the size of their house. She and her husband planted a vegetable garden ever year. She loved to sew and as her children grew, she would make some of their clothing, often times dressing the girls to look like twins. She worked for New Mexico State University Nutritional Extension Service for 4 years. In this job she would get together with ladies in Truchas to teach them good nutrition, how to cook and how to can and process foods. Because the elderly people in Truchas did not have cars, she would often take them to Española to grocery shop, to keep their doctor’s appointments and to get their government commodities. She would also prepare their income tax returns. She loved to travel and visited many friends and relatives in various states as well as to vacation to England, France, Italy and Mexico. When her grandchildren were born, she was their caretaker. They remember so many stories of times when they played tricks on her and as they grew up, she played tricks on them. When they were old enough to start going to school, she started working at the Chimayo Elementary School. She worked there for 5 years. After that she worked at the Española Elementary School for 12 years. She received her Bilingual endorsement through New Mexico Highlands University where she stayed in the dormitory with the late Mrs. Anatacio Vigil. She retired in 2001 at the age of 77. She was a lady of great faith and was very involved in church activities and functions. She was celadora of the capillita of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary for many years. She and her husband at one time were the ones that served the most times as mayordomos of the church in Truchas. She hosted the nuns and visiting people who spent time in Truchas teaching religious education. She maintained contact with them always. She will be greatly missed. The family wishes to thank Polly’s caretakers, Rosario, Juana, Josephina, Veronica, Angelica and Ambercare for their great care and love that they provided to our Polly. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Margaret Trujillo (Abel) and Isabel Ortiz; son, Jake Fernandez and wife Veronica; grandchildren, Tamara (Jerry) and Therese Trujillo, Troy Fernandez and James Bristol, Greg Fernandez and wife Laura, Jamie Atencio and wife Alexandra, Rosendo Atencio and wife Nicole, Stephanie Martinez and husband Mark; great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Reina, Emma, Lillyana, Mark Anthony, Joaquin, Lucia, Dominic, Kambur, Presley Rose and Nixon; hijados, Leroy and Flora Vigil, Mary Helen Kelty, Joseph Ralph Sandoval, Madeline Romero, Silvia Romero and Laura Ortiz and well as numerous other relatives and friends. Private family services will be held and a public memorial service will be held at a later date. The family of Hipolita R. Fernandez has entrusted their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.