Elnora Anaya

ANAYA, ELNORAAge 86, lifelong resident of Albuquerque, passed away quietly Saturday morning at her family home in Albuquerque, after a long illness. She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years, Tomey Anaya; son Richard Anaya (Maggie) of Albuquerque; daughters, Cheryl Tuttle of Los Lunas, and Kathryn O'Neill of New Boston, Texas; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Elnora Anaya is the fourth member of the Tomey Anaya family to die within the last six months: two sons-in-law, Vernal Dudley Tuttle, Jr. of Los Chaves, NM, and Timothy P. O'Neill, New Boston, Texas; and grandson Marshall Williams (husband of Yolanda Tuttle-Williams). She was also preceded in death by her infant daughter Shirley Kay Anaya; her parents; and her eight brothers and sisters. She was born Elnora Louise Mitchell to James Alva and Laura Leola Mitchell on June 17, 1926. She was the youngest of nine children. James worked for the railroad; James was diagnosed with consumption (tuberculosis), and family was transferred to Albuquerque, NM for his health. Still a babe in arms, Elnora, her mother and five of her siblings moved from Iowa to Albuquerque, NM in 1926. She was a child of the Depression era and saw many changes as she grew up in Albuquerque. She graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1945. She saw many of her friends and classmates leave school early to fight in World War II. After graduating from high school, she joined her best friend Margie Blackwell in Los Alamos. She worked at Los Alamos Laboratories, during the tail end of the "Manhattan Project" meeting many of the famous scientists that had worked on developing the Atomic Bombs. While in Los Alamos, she met her future husband at a dance at the local veteran's hall. Tomey Anaya was a young butcher at the Safeway store. They married in 1953 and moved to Albuquerque where she gave birth to four children. In 1968 the family moved to the East Mountains, where the family opened Cedar Crest Stop & Shop. This business became the hub of the family. She closed the store in August of 1975. The family moved back to Albuquerque and Elnora joined her husband Tomey working at the New Mexico Employment Security Department as an Unemployment Claims Examiner until her retirement in 1988. During this time she was very active in IAPES. Elnora was a strong supporter of veterans and their families. She was a long term member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Her three brothers, James, Jr (Jimmy), Woodrow (Woody), and Monroe (Monnie) were all veterans of WWII as were many of her childhood friends. Her three surviving children served a combined total of over 60 years in the military. Both of her sons-in-law also served: Dudley (Air Force & NM Air National Guard) and Timothy (Army). The family request that donations in her honor be made to local Veterans Organizations to continue her legacy of support. A visitation will be held Monday, March 4, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at French-Lomas, with funeral services on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at Albuquerque Revival Center, 124 Texas NE. Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Park, at Menaul & Edith.