Patricia "Patsy" Roybal-Martinez

COURTESY ANNOUNCEMENT

Patricia “Patsy” Roybal-Martinez departed from this world to her eternal rest on March 8, 2025, at the age of 74, after a brief illness. Patsy was the third child of Johnnie A. Roybal and Ninfa Ortega-Roybal.

Patsy attended Elementary and Middle school in Los Alamos then graduated from Espanola Valley High School in 1968 where she was a Majorette. After high school she worked for the Espanola Schools with Norberto Lopez as her boss. She then traveled to Washington DC and worked at our Nation’s Capital for 4 years in the office of Senator Joseph M. Montoya. Upon returning to NM in 1974 she settled in Albuquerque working for BDM Corp and finally retiring from Wilson and Company Engineers as an Executive Assistant. Patsy also obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 1984 from the University of Albuquerque working full time and attending college full time. She was a disciplined book reader and had her large collection of books. She was also a member of the Bartolome Sanchez Land Grant in the Espanola Valley.

In 1990 Patsy married her loving husband Tomas O. Martinez of Los Ojos. They were married for 30 years until his death on May 1, 2020. Patsy was a soft-spoken person but was also quite the intellectual. She was admired and deeply loved by her large extended family and close friends. She loved to travel visiting Spain on a pilgrimage, taking a few cruise ship vacations and being a member of Club Med in the 1980’s. Her and her husband also did extensive traveling on their R V in the 90’s and early 2000’s. She also was an avid snow skier in the 1980’s and helped teach her younger brothers to ski. Even in recent months she was always in for a quick out of state trip to Wisconsin, Las Vegas, AZ or Colorado on moments notice.

Patsy was preceded in death by her husband Tomas O. Martinez, paternal grandparents Don Silviano Roybal and Amanda Sanchez-Roybal, maternal grandparents Dario and Elena Ortega, parents Johnnie A. Roybal and Ninfa O. Roybal. Older siblings Liz Roybal and Johnny S. Roybal Jr.

She is survived by brothers Joseph A. Roybal, James L. Roybal (Gloria), Jerome Roybal and Chris Roybal. And her very special nieces ReAnn Roybal (and son Marcos) and Elena Roybal.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at the Church of the Incarnation 2309 Monterrey Road NE Rio Rancho NM 87144 at 11:30 am on Friday, April 11, 2025.

Honorary Pallbearers: Cristobal and Bobbi Martinez, Paul and Eloise Martinez, Brea Daddysman, Debbie Halterman, Kendra and Ilia Felts and Jace Martinez