Johnny Ortega

JOHNNY F. ORTEGA, 74, a resident of La Mesilla, was born on December 10, 1944 to Antonio Ortega and Luz Pena Ortega in La Madera. He passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, December 29, 2018. He was surrounded with many family and friends that sent much love and prayers. Johnny has a very dynamic and friendly personality. He made friends easily. Even with all his pet cats. He loved Spanish, country, and gospel music, and of course rock n roll. He also loved to dance, specially to the song, Johnny B Good. He lived and went to school in El Rito until the family moved to Española. He attended NNMCC to get his G.E.D. He worked in construction and was a mechanic and restored classic cars. He loved cars shows and lowriders. Johnny was preceded in death by his grandparents, Adolfo and Margarita Ortega; great-grandparents, Epifanio and Aurora Lucero; parents, Antonio and Luz Pena Ortega; brothers, Antonio  Ortega, Jr., Delfín Ortega, Jose C. Ortega and Adolfito Ortega; sisters, Florinda Rivera, Donilia Romero, Adelina Ortega, and Evila Gallegos; brothers-in-law, Joe Gallegos, Querino Ortega, Samuel Pacheco, Jose P. Rivera, and Gonzalo Gallegos; sisters-in-law, Geraldine Dee Valerio, Denise Valerio, Francine Valerio, Helen Ortega, Estella Ortega, and Josefa Ortega; nieces, Brenda Martinez, Edna Serna, Sylvia Gallegos Martinez; nephews, Raymond, David, Bonifacio, Beltran and Querinito Ortega; father and mother-in-law, Samuel and Ernestine Valerio. Mr. Ortega is survived by his wife of 37 years, Suzanne Ortega; son, Francisco “Ponch” Ortega and wife Maricela; grandson, Erik F. Ortega; daughter, Linda Ortega and companion Daniel Espinoza of Chimayo; sisters, Cora Ortega (Ralph), Lia Gallegos, Margarita Ortega, Emma Ortega of CO,  Sofia Sandoval (Ted), Linda Mata, Isabel Ortega of San Antonio, TX; brothers, Diego Ortega (Katherine), Henry Ortega, Andrew Ortega; sisters-in-law, Rose Ortega and Donelia Ortega; very close cousins, Pablo and Nickie Chavez of Pueblo, CO and Orfa Chavez of La Madera and many other relatives and friends too numerous to name. A rosary will be recited on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz with a memorial mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial to follow at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Santa Cruz. Honorary pallbearers will be; Erik F. Ortega, Ralph Ortega, Andrew Ortega, Frankie A. Serna, Pete Trujillo, Daniel Espinoza, Jimmy Herrera, and Anthony Valdez. The family of Johnny F. Ortega has entrusted their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley.