Juan Antonio Age 34 - Los Brazos Candelaria

Juan Antonio Candelaria, 34, a resident of Los Brazos and Española, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 18, 2012, surrounded by his family. He was a hard working and extremely loving man with a heart of gold. Juan Antonio was a 1996 Escalante High School graduate and worked as a Water Operations foreman for the Public Works Department with the City of Española. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Francisco and Loyola Candelaria; maternal grandparents, Melecio and Margaret Jiron; his Tata and Nana Pedro and Maria Madrid; great-grandma, Mary O. Candelaria; many other family and friends. Juan Antonio is survived by his loving parents, Bidal and Connie Candelaria of Los Brazos; sisters: Augusta and partner Eileen of Santa Fe, Linda and husband Joel Dodd of Carlsbad; god-daughter, Rebecca Lynn Smith; nieces, Olivia and Sophia Dodd; nephew, Jack L. Dodd; step-daughter, Irene Garcia of Española; girlfriend, Stephanie Garcia; uncles/aunts: Agapito (Fidencia) Candelaria, Frank (Rhonda) Candelaria, Ray (Bea) Martinez, Rita (Julio) Marquez, Mannie (Martha) Jiron, and Daniel Navarro; great aunts/uncles: Elma Valdez, Manuelita Madrid, Maria Elena (Dave) Byron, Dolores (Louie) Romero and Jose (Elviria) Abeyta; numerous other loving relatives & friends. Juan Antonio had a large extended family and group of friends that loved and will miss him dearly. Public visitation will be held on Thursday, December 20, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel of DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory with a rosary to follow at 6:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Friday, December 21, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. San Jose Catholic Church in Los Ojos with burial to follow at the Los Ojos Community Cemetery with the following serving the family as pallbearers: Rick Anaya, Agapito and Frank Candelaria, Phil Chacon, Belarmino Archuleta, Adrian Trujillo, Anthony Valdez and Mannie Jiron; honorary pallbearers are the City of Española Public Works Department. The family of Juan Antonio Candelaria have entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477

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