Naomi Gottlieb

Died April 21, 2013, after a long and happy life. Born Naomi Ruth Sanchez on September 5, 1921 to Frank C. Sanchez and Veneranda Sanchez neé Chavez, she lived her early years in the Five Points area of Albuquerque's South Valley. Although her family relocated to Cubero, New Mexico, she attended New Mexico's earliest boarding schools-Harwood, Allison James, and Menaul-and attended the University of New Mexico for a year. After marrying Bill Garcia she moved with him to Los Angeles; she was widowed when he was shot down over Italy during WWII. Naomi continued her college education at UCLA and earned a degree in English with a minor in history, and began teaching school in Indio, CA. During that time, the young man who had taken her on her first date, fellow Cubero resident Robert Gottlieb, began writing to her while he served in the Pacific. The relationship continued after his return, and Robert and Naomi were married September 4, 1950. They spent their lives together running a cattle ranch near Grants, New Mexico, where they raised three daughters and Naomi taught English. Naomi was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Veneranda Sanchez; her stepmother, Maria Inez Sanchez; her siblings, Lionel, Lena (Davenport), Elam (her twin brother), Cora (Armijo) and Joseph and Naomi's husband, Robert Gottlieb. She is survived by her three daughters, Vicky Lynne; Gail, her husband Michael Minturn and their children, Jessica Naomi Singer and Michael Scott Minturn; and Roberta and her children, Arielle, Austin, and Sideara Weisgrau; nieces and nephews, Caroline Butler, Ted Armijo, Clifford, Frank, and Tomas Sanchez; and great grandson, Lionel Carlos Singer. She was part of the Greatest Generation and lived a long and satisfying life. She raised peacocks, ducks, and geese; she loved gardening, books, oil and china painting, music and her dogs. She cherished her family and friends. She will be missed, but we all feel fortunate to have been a part of her life, and as her daughters, to have had her as our Mother. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, May 11, 2013, 1:30 p.m. at FRENCH-Wyoming. Burial will take place in the Grants Memorial Park Cemetery in Grants, NM. Please visit our online guestbook for Naomi at - Wyoming7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE(505) 823-9400