Raquel Odila Velasquez

Raquel Odila Velásquez, 83 passed away on October 16, 2020. Raquel was born in Laredo, Texas on March 8, 1937 to Dolores Contreras Velásquez and Juan Ángel Velásquez. Raquel was an Honor Student who graduated in 1954 from Jefferson High School, San Antonio, Texas. She moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1962 where she raised four children and worked full-time as a secretary with the U. S. Forest Service and later Kirtland Air Force Base. At 41, Raquel returned to college and graduated with honors earning a bachelor’s in Sociology. In 1987 she earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the UNM School of Law. She was on the School of Law Dean’s list and was a member of the Delta Theta Phi Law fraternity and the Mexican American Law Student Association (MALSA). Raquel received the prestigious Dean’s Award and the Hispanic Law Student’s Award upon graduation. In her law career, Raquel worked across the state as a District Attorney and Prosecuting Attorney and retired as an attorney with the Child Support Division of the New Mexico Department of Human Services. Born on the day that became known as Women’s Day, Raquel was a woman born before her time. She was a strong role model, honored women’s rights and believed a woman could do anything. Her heritage was mixed with roots from the Tlacaltecan tribe in Mexico, and Honduras, and Morocco. She was the first female attorney to represent a Native American female client in a tribal court in New Mexico. Throughout her life, Raquel performed ballet folklórico at the schools she attended. As an undergraduate student in 1972, she co-founded the Ballet Folklorico de Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico. Raquel was an honored member of the Hispanic Women’s Council. Her tribute appears in the book Mujeres Valerosas. She was a longtime member of El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church. Every summer, Raquel drove her children back to San Antonio to reconnect with family, and to maintain the family’s bilingual and culture heritage. In New Mexico she enjoyed hiking and studied for the bar exam sitting high upon the rocks of the Sandia Mountains. She created weekend trips taking her children to explore the history and land of the state and visiting friends, especially in Northern New Mexico. Her love of travel took her to Mexico, Canada, Italy, the Philippines and many states including Washington, California and Alaska to name a few. Raquel is survived by her daughter Diane Torres-Velásquez and grandsons James and Josh Raborn; her son Michael Anthony Torres; daughter Kathy Coffey (Bob); daughter Linda Renner (Marc) and grandsons Nick, Stephen, and Michael Renner; and by their father Robert L. Torres. She is survived by her brothers Joe M. and Daniel Velásquez (Leticia) and by many loving cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Due to Covid and current limitations, a private family viewing was held. A memorial service is planned for a future date. Donations in Raquel's name can be made to UNM for older MALSA students or to the Alzheimer's Association.