Marie V. Ortega, 89, died peacefully on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, at her home of 48 years near Sanders after a brief struggle with cancer. A Rosary will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, 415 E. Green St. in Gallup, N.M., with a Catholic Funeral Mass following at noon. Interment will be held at Sunset Memorial Park following the Mass. She was born Nov. 15, 1926, in Alexandria, La., the daughter of Francis and Cecilia Vanderlick. Marie lived on her family farm in Alexandria during her youth and graduated from Providence Academy High School in 1944. She then moved to New Orleans, where she lived at Charity Hospital School of Nursing for two years, training to be a nurse. In 1947 she was sent to Fort Defiance, Ariz., as part of the Cadet Corps to work as a nurse. In 1948, Marie married Armand P. Ortega in St. Michaels. Armand and Marie raised six children while operating several trading posts in New Mexico and Arizona. They were married for 66 years, until his death in 2014. Marie prioritized education and knowledge attainment for herself, her children and her 16 grandchildren. She was an avid reader, enjoying fiction and non-fiction alike, and was a season ticket holder at Red Rock State Park for many years, taking anyone who might want to go to see whatever concert, show or talk was coming through town. She was a devout Catholic, attending services at St. John the Evangelist Church in Houck regularly until her death. Survivors include her six children, Armand Ortega Jr. (Anita) of Sedona, Larry Ortega of Sanders, Amelia (Brett) Crowther of Los Lunas, N.M., Bill (Vicky) Ortega of Santa Fe, N.M., Anna (Dave) Dallago of Gallup and Arthur (Julianne) Ortega of Phoenix; a sister, Dorothy Hollingsworth of Shreveport, La.; two brothers, Dan (Mary) Vanderlick of Cheneyville, La., and Walter (Ann) Vanderlick of Alexandria; 16 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren. Burnham Mortuary of St. Johns was in charge of the arrangements.
