Juanita Casados

Juanita A. Casados of El Guique left this earth on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at age 90 after having lived a long and good life (DOB 2/8/1930).  Juanita was preceded in death by her parents Emilia and Atanacio Archuleta of Chamita, husband Pedro A. Casados of El Guique and all her siblings, i.e. sisters Margaret Salazar, Polly Barnhart, Lugarda Maestas and brothers Juan, Emilio, Julian, and Thomas Archuleta.  She is survived by her children, Emily Casados-Reeves, Felicia Casados and Peter Casados; three grandchildren, Robert Reeves, Peter Casados III, Katelynn (Casados) Morales and one great grandchild, David Morales Jr.

Juanita’s life was defined by food, growing it, preserving it, cooking it, and selling it thru her and Pedro’s family business Casados Farms in El Guique.  Casados Farms is one of the longest continually operating small businesses in northern New Mexico thanks in large part to Juanita’s talents, dedication to hard work and excellent customer service skills.

Her passing was peaceful.  We her children fully expect that Mother is at rest and has rejoined her family and our father once again.  We would like to extend our thanks to all her friends and relatives who called, checked in and visited her.  Special thanks to Pita Carattini, her niece who lovingly cooked for her and kept her company every Monday for the past three years.  Thanks also to her other caregivers over the years, Tina Borrego and Dominguita Sisneros (both of El Guique).  Special thanks to Patsy Herrera (of Chamita), for her friendship of many years and her El Guique neighbors Teddy/Roberta Abeyta who also spent time helping her in many ways.

Our sincere thanks to Armada Hospice Services who provided professional health care services to Juanita the past three months, particularly Julie Gibson, her Nurse and Shenise Trujillo, her Nurse Aide for their loving and thoughtful care.  Thanks also to Deacon Pablo LaFebre for praying the rosary in Spanish for her on several occasions and Father Clarence Maes (Bernalillo parish) for administering Mother’s last rites.  DeVargas Funeral Home handled her last journey back home to El Guique for which we thank them and laid her to rest in the El Guique Cemetery on Friday, 12/4/2020 next to Pedro, overlooking their Casados Farms homestead.  A Mass was celebrated for Juanita with her immediate family present at San Juan Catholic Church on Friday morning 12/4/20.  Her Pall Bearers included:  Robert Reeves, Gene Borrego, Dominic Casados, Joe Madrid, Michael Herrera, and Honorary Pall Bearer Harold Mascarenas.

Mother loved gatherings and we do not want to deny her a public celebration of her life but due to COVID no public service was held.  A memorial will be held in the future when we can gather safely to celebrate her life and share a meal, as Mother would have wanted.

We, her children, believe this quote best exemplifies our Mother Juanita’s life journey: “To exist in this vast universe for a speck of time is the great gift of life.  It is our only life.  The universe will go on, indifferent to our brief existence, but while we are here, we touch not just part of that vastness, but also the lives around us.  Life is the gift each of us has been given.  Each life is our own and no one else’s.  It is precious beyond all counting.  It is the greatest value we can have.  Cherish it for what it truly is….Your life is yours alone.  Rise up and live it”.  (Author, Terry Goodkind). The family Juanita A. Casados has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Espanola Valley. 505-747-7477-www.devargasfuneral.com