Merlinda - age 90 - Chamisal Cordova

Merlinda Cordova, 90, a resident of Chamisal, passed away on Wednesday, February 5, 2014. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Jose R. Cordova; son, Arlie Cordova; grandson, Joshua Cordova; parents, Larkin Lovato and Genevieve Garcia; step-father, Rosendo Martinez; brother, Barney Martinez; and father and mother-in-law, Cornelio and Adriana Cordova. Merlinda was a gentle, loving and talented woman whose love for Jesus Christ filled her life and radiated to touch the hearts of those around her. Every morning before her final illness, she took a prayer walk outdoors to spend time with the Lord, and she read the Bible daily. She loved to memorize scripture. Merlinda was an artist with thread and needle, and designed and stitched pillows, Afghans and quilts, wall and table décor, and jewelry. She was active in the Chamisal Home Extension Club, and her crocheted chile ristra wall décor and tissue box designs were featured on the cover of Needlecraft Magazine Annie’s Attic. “The best gift is something made with your hands,” she liked to say. She was also an artist in the kitchen, making fresh tortillas daily, and delighting friends and family with traditional New Mexican dishes, including peerless chili (red and green), posole, chicos, sopaipillas, pastelitos and empanaditas. Merlinda enjoyed an active life, going on long walks outdoors with friends and working out several times a week in her daughter and son-in-law’s garage gym. She joined her adventuresome children in hiking and canoeing including a trek to Quemado Falls near the Truchas Peaks. Merlinda was born in Cuba, New Mexico on May 2, 1923. She grew up in Madrid during its heyday as a coal mining community, and won an elementary school poetry contest there. The title of the poem is, “Things We Want”. She studied briefly at Adams State College in Colorado before embarking on a teaching career in Chamisal. She taught head start, grade school, and high school, as well as adult basic education. She was a nutritionist with Taos County Home Extension, and a half-century ago was Chamisal’s first Avon lady. She also started Sugar and Spice, a 4-H club for girls, and taught them fine needlework. Merlinda was teaching grade school in Chamisal when she met a handsome young soldier just returned home from service in central Europe during World War II. She and Jose R. Cordova were married August 19, 1946 in Taos. They remained in Chamisal the rest of their lives, raising their family within sight of Jose’s childhood home. The Cordovas embodied New Mexico hospitality, and Merlinda was constantly in the kitchen preparing food for guests, some of whom came from as far as Peru, Japan, and the Netherlands. In the last months of Merlinda’s life she was blessed with wonderful care from Ambercare Hospice of Española, and with visits from many friends who prayed, read scriptures, and sang hymns for her. The family thanks all of the loving people who filled her last days with warmth, love and kindness. Merlinda went home to the Lord surrounded by her family as they listened to a reading of Psalm 33, a hymn to God, Our Help and Shield. Merlinda is survived by her daughter, Katherine Luna and husband Ray of Chamisal; sons, Eugene Martinez of Salt Lake City, Utah, Rudy Cordova and wife Irina of Idaho Falls, Idaho and Adrian Cordova of Chamisal; seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Ambercare Hospice in Española. In honor of Merlinda’s last wishes, her children will hold a private memorial and celebration of her life for immediate family at her home. The family of Merlinda Cordova has entrusted their loved one’s cremation and arrangements to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477 – www.devargasfuneral.com\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nThings We Want\r\n \r\nDo you get the things you want?\r\nYou don’t? Well, I declare!\r\nPerhaps it’s not so rare.\r\nThe things we don’t want come to us\r\nin bunches everyday.\r\nAnd the things we really want,\r\nThey seem to stay away.\r\nAfter years of fruitless hope,\r\nI think I’ll cease to fret.\r\nAnd when I don’t get the things I want,\r\nI’ll take the things I get.\r\n \r\n Merlinda Cordova\r\n 5th Grade

---