Obituary of Maria Odilia Montoya

Maria Odilia Montoya was born to Maximiliano Padilla and Leonarda Padilla (Sanchez) in Cleveland, New Mexico, a small town two miles north of Mora, New Mexico, on August 3, 1945. Maria passed away on February 15, 2023, with her husband, Margarito, and her daughter, Geraldine Healy, by her side. She was 77 years old.

 

She was predeceased by her mother, Leonarda Padilla; by her father, Maximiliano Padilla; by her sister, Elisa and Juan Luis Gonzales; by her sister Oralia Padilla; by her sister Corine and Ramon Romero; and by her brother Santiago Padilla.

 

Maria is survived by her husband, Margarito, of 56 years; her daughter Geraldine Healy and Husband Matt Healy; sister-in-law, Marie Padilla, wife of Maria's brother Santiago Padilla; Granddaughter, Kayla Healy; Grandson, Camden Healy, and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, just too many to name each one, but she loved each and every one of them.

 

In 1964 Maria met Margarito in a fiesta parade in Mora, New Mexico. They were married on October 18, 1966, in the Church of Christ, in Cleveland, New Mexico.

 

In 1967, Maria got her license from a Cosmetology School in Santa Fe and went to work at the Center Beauty Shop as a beautician in Santa Fe. After having worked there for about two years, the owners decided to retire and Maria decided to buy the beauty Shop from them. Maria operated the beauty shop until 1986.

 

In June of 1985, Margarito and Maria moved to Albuquerque. Maria was a member of the Netherwood Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

 

Maria enjoyed camping, traveling, going fishing, rodeos, movies, miniature golf and cooking; but most of all they both enjoyed going to visit family and friends and having them come over to visit them.

 

Maria was a very loveable person. She was easy to make friends with, she loved all her nieces and nephews and knew many of their birthdays by memory. She read the Bible and knew many bible verses by memory.

 

Maria always told her family that she wanted to be remembered, not by her death, but for who she was when she was alive.

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