Fanny Montoya

Fanny Montoya, 85, passed away peacefully in Albuquerque, NM on March 14, 2022, surrounded by family after a lengthy and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. Born on September 14, 1936, to Tomas Montoya and Lucia Madril Montoya, she was raised in Encino, NM later graduating from Encino High School and earning a bachelor’s degree in home economics and a minor in Spanish and library sciences from UNM.

After graduating from UNM, she taught in the Encino and Vaughn school systems for decades as a jack-of-all-trades – teacher, counselor, librarian and whatever needed to be done, until her retirement.  She truly loved the small town of Encino and only moved to Albuquerque much later in life when she needed to be closer to basic necessities. She also enjoyed working at the family general store and cattle ranch in Encino.

In her spare time, Fanny loved to travel visiting most of the USA as well as Mexico and the Caribbean. She was personal friends with the Unser racing family and often followed them to their car races around the country, including the Indy500. She was a very talented seamstress and often made clothes for others along with various blankets and quilts. She could turn a piece of fabric into anything. She also enjoyed praying, arts and crafts, reading, painting, visiting family and friends and she loved talking on the phone! She was a people person and never met a stranger. If she didn’t already know you, she would get to know you. She also enjoyed current events and watched newscasts in the morning, noon, and evening, plus reading any newspaper or magazine she could find.

Fanny will be most remembered as a woman of deep faith, generosity, and strength. As a three-time cancer survivor, she was truly put and kept on this earth to serve! A devout Catholic, she enjoyed working in the church including the Finance Council and lector.  Her generosity was far reaching. She was always the first in line to help anyone with anything and she never needed to be asked. If she wasn’t asked, she would volunteer. Even during her illness, her caregivers would say that she still had a helping mentality. While she never married or had kids of her own, she was a second mother to her nieces and nephews, and nothing gave her more joy than spending time with them and watching them succeed.

She was preceded in death by her parents as well as her brother, Tom Montoya, Jr. Survivors include her sister, Mercedes Peña; sister-in-law Caroline Montoya; five nieces, Annette Montoya (Richard), Elaine Montoya-Prickett (Dennis), Jennifer Harrison-Atkinson (Matt), Renee Peña and Alyssa Peña; six nephews, Philip Montoya, Chris Peña, Bobby Peña (April), Joseph Harrison, Keith Harrison and Casey Atkinson; along with countless other relatives, friends and the hundreds of school kids she educated and never forgot.

The family would like to thank all past and present staff of Morning Star Memory Care at Northridge, especially Melissa Spiers, Jenny Fox, Kyra Begay, Patience, Maggie, Warren, and Kathy for their outstanding care. We would also like to thank the staff of Kindred Hospice, especially Sandra Hollis for their assistance.

A Visitation with the family will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at FRENCH - Lomas and Eubank in Albuquerque, NM from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. followed by a Rosary, recited by Tommy Bachicha, at 6pm and light refreshments afterwards. High Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, April 7, 2022, 10:30 a.m.   at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Encino, NM with Father Timothy Meurer, celebrant. Christian burial will follow at the Encino Catholic Cemetery in Encino, NM around 11:30 a.m. followed by a catered meal from Garcia’s Kitchen at the Encino Elementary School Gym around 12 noon.