Naomi Olivia (Garcia) Alire passed away April 15, 2023, at Alta Vita Memory Care Centre in Longmont, Colorado. Naomi was born February 8, 1942, in Taos New Mexico to Fidel and Magdalena (Avila) Garcia. She spent her childhood in Taos until the family moved to Monte Vista. She graduated from Monte Vista High School in 1961.
Years later, she was part of a group to attend the University of Colorado in Boulder through a program focused on providing educational opportunities to rural Spanish American and Mexican American individuals (primarily sons and daughters of seasonal workers), who otherwise would not be able to attend college.
As a divorced mother, she knew she needed to apply and attend college to hopefully provide a better life for her sons. She studied and worked diligently to be a good example to her sons.
Naomi returned to the Valley where she worked at St. Joseph Hospital in Del Norte and then moved on to work for the Department of Social services in Rio Grande County then Alamosa County. During her professional career, she was empathetic in wanting to help people who were perhaps going through extremely difficult times. Throughout her years of service, she received several awards before retiring from Alamosa County Social Services in 2014.
She is survived by her sons, Virgil Alire Jr. (Sherry) of Monte Vista, and Christopher Alire (Donna Martinez) of Mancos, as well as 6 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her two sisters; Lorraine (Ben) Sandoval and Annette Garcia of Longmont, Colorado as well as several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Magdalena and Fidel Garcia; brothers Jose Tony (Priscilla) Garcia; Jose Leo (Ann) Garcia; sisters Regina Garcia, Dora Garcia, and Beatrice Medina.
She was active for a time with St. Joseph Catholic Church, visiting and providing communion to home bound residents and an active member of the Legion of Mary. She was a devout Catholic and her faith never faltered.
A rosary service will be held on Wednesday evening April 19th at 7:00 p.m. at Strohmayer’s Funeral Home, 205 S Broadway in Monte Vista.
The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 425 Batterson St, on Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the San Luis Valley Cemetery in Monte Vista.
Funeral arrangements in care of Strohmayer’s Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association in Naomi’s memory.
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