Leonard Carl Ortega

Leonard Carl Ortega, age 89, loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother passed away on Friday, September 20, 2019. He was born to Louis and Eleanor Vigil Ortega on Monday, March 17, 1930 in Ramey, a small mining camp in southern Colorado. He grew up in Trinidad, Colorado, and enlisted in the Army at the young age of sixteen. He received the World War II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Japan Medal as a soldier in Korea. He became a firefighter with the Trinidad Fire Department in 1951. He joined the Albuquerque Fire Department in 1960 and became Fire Chief in 1979. He retired in 1985 after 34 years as a dedicated public servant.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 48 years, Violeta Ortega; his children, Victoria Ortega, Leonard (Karen Sanchez) Ortega, Dorothy (Eduardo Laborde) Gaylor, Marlaine Gaylor, and Yolanda (James) Fastle; grandchildren, Jesse (Ada), Jamie (Naomi) Breedlove, Nicholas and Leonard Ortega, Ian Cannon, Ryan (Nicole) Stanfill, Jordan Fastle, Miranda (Steve) Rich, Ashley Fastle, and Sam (Whitney) Fastle. He’s also survived by ten great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his infant son, Leonard Ortega; grandson, Aeric Cannon; and brothers, Louis and Edmund Ortega.

He was a good son, a dedicated husband, a wonderful father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle. He shared his words of wisdom and always gave valuable advice to his loved ones. He was a self-educated man and had a book on every subject. He will be sadly missed, but he lives on in our hearts forever. “He who believes never dies.”

A visitation will be held on Monday, September 30, 2019, 9:30 a.m., at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Montano Chapel, 1100 Montano Road NW, with a funeral service to follow. Interment will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery. Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to: John Hopkins Cancer Research, https://secure.jhu.edu/form/kimmel .