Loretta Ortiz Y Pino

Dr. Loretta Ortiz y Pino, 63, passed away surrounded by loved ones at her home in Taos, NM on February 28, 2017 after enduring fourteen months of treatment for ovarian cancer. Loretta was born and raised in Santa Fe, NM to a family that has been in New Mexico for about thirteen generations. She attended Loretto Academy and graduated from St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe in 1971. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico in 1976 and her M.D. from the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1981. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Colorado, Denver, where she also served as chief resident. She then served four years as a pediatrician with the Indian Health Service on the Navajo Reservation in Shiprock, NM. From 1990-1991, Loretta lived in Nicaragua as a visiting teacher and liaison between UNM Medical School and the medical schools in Managua and León. Loretta moved to Taos in 1991, joining Dr. Charlie Anderson in his pediatric practice, Taos Clinic for Children and Youth, and eventually co-owning the practice until 2005. In 2006, she co-founded Sustainable Health Innovations, LLC, for the purpose of educating healthcare practitioners in integrative medicine. From 2007-2011, she was a consultant pediatrician at the Taos-Picuris Indian Health Center. Loretta then served as Holy Cross Hospital’s Chief Medical Officer from 2011-2015, where she was the director of Holy Cross Hospital’s integrative CARE team. She served many years on various boards and committees including Integrative Medicine de Taos, the Quail Roost Foundation (a private philanthropic foundation), Community Against Violence (CAV), Taos Maternal & Child Health Committee, Taos Child Protection Team, Shiprock Home for Women and Children, and was appointed a trustee by Governor Bill Richardson for the New Mexico Children’s Trust Fund. Loretta comes from a long line of explorers, historians, politicians, teachers, herbalists, and curanderos. She apprenticed with a curandera for over ten years. Loretta is preceded in death by her parents, Pedro Ortiz y Pino of Galisteo, NM and Evangeline Ortiz y Pino (Blanchard) of Romeroville, NM; and by her former partner Callie Williams, who died of brain cancer five years prior to Loretta’s passing. Loretta is survived by her beloved wife Melissa Kennelly; siblings Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino (Donna Bruzzese), Louise Stevenson, Michael Ortiz y Pino, Roberta White, and Paul Ortiz y Pino (Jana); fourteen nieces and nephews; over thirty great-nieces and -nephews; an extended family of nieces and nephews through Callie and Melissa; and many, many close and loving friends. In lieu of flowers, "please honor Loretta's memory in one of the following ways: (1) By making a tax deductible donation to CAV. (2) Friends of Loretta wish to raise money to install two memorial benches in her honor. One will be part of the Rift valley trail system overlooking the Rio Pueblo and the other would be placed at Holy Cross Hospital where she spent so many years of service. Those who wish to contribute to this bench installation should call Dr. Charlie Anderson for details at (575) 758-9272 or mail him a check to 325 State Rd. 240, Taos, NM 87571. Any surplus of these donations will be given to a local nonprofit organization. (3) Finally, in line with Loretta's lifelong commitment to community service, please volunteer a few hours of your time with CAV, Holy Cross Hospital, or another community nonprofit organization.*" Service arrangements will be held and announced at a later date.