Dilia Quintana

Dilia Flora Quintana, 84, formerly a resident of Sombrillo, passed away on Monday, July 16, 2018 in Albuquerque following an injury. Flora was preceded in death by her parents, Adela and Luis Herrera; husband, Eloy Quintana; sons, Walter, Michael and Charlie Quintana; sisters, Isabelita Gallegos, Ester Lopez, Tive Robertson and brother, Tom Herrera. Flora was born in La Madera/Los Ancones, New Mexico on March 4, 1934 and was the youngest of six siblings. Her father worked for the forest service and her parents and siblings were also farmers who spent their lives farming, planting and tending to their gardens and orchards. Flora was born in the Depression Era and remembered how they had to use stamps to purchase their basic goods. Their parents wanted to instill good life skills to their children by teaching them the process of canning and drying vegetables and produce, baking tamales, homemade breads, biscochitos and pastelitos, which is how Flora became an excellent cook and baker. Flora remembered rolling tortillas at four years old and her mother baking them on the stove. She learned how to hand sew and how to use the treadle sewing machine to make her clothes. Flora’s mother would purchase material at the La Madera Mercantile Store and with her guidance, Flora and her sisters would sew their dresses for church, holidays and special occasions. She attended high school in Ojo Caliente, now known as Mesa Vista High, where she was a cheerleader. After high school, she started working at Belle’s Clothing Store located in downtown Española, which later became the Bond and Willards Store. While working there, she met the love of her life, Eloy Quintana from Santo Niño, New Mexico, and were married soon after. Eloy was a life-long educator and a state representative. They raised three sons together, Walter, Michael and Charlie. Flora loved her sons and was a stay at home mom until her children started school, at which time she started working at the First National Bank of Rio Arriba. After retiring, she worked at different banking and loan institutions in the valley of Española for many years. During her lifetime, Flora enjoyed participating and volunteering in the community. She volunteered with the FHA County Fairs, the Presbyterian Hospital gift shop in Española and as a Eucharist Minister with the Holy Cross Parish. Flora and Eloy loved to go dancing and enjoyed their life fully. She also enjoyed spending time with her three grandchildren. Flora is survived by her sisters, Arselia Gallegos and Della Bloom; grandchildren, Alaina, Chyenne and Dominic Quintana; their mother, Virginia Garcia; special nieces, Mary Lou Gallegos and Albinita Rael; brothers-in-law, Silviano, Stephen and Joe Quintana; sisters-in-law, Viola and Elsie Quintana and Cecilia Trujillo, numerous other nieces and nephews and a community of many co-workers and friends. A rosary will be recited on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz with a Memorial Mass to follow at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow at 3:00 p.m. at Santa Fe National Cemetery. The family of Dilia Flora Quintana has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.