Mary Medina

Obituary for Mary Medina

Mary Medina 97, long time resident of Taos passed away peacefully on September 15, 2022 at the Brookdale Santa Fe –Assisted Living Community.  Mary grew up in Penasco as one of twelve children born to Serapio and Bertha Duran.  Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Joe Medina who passed away in 1993, her parents, Serapio and Bertha Duran, brothers, Lalo, James, Louie and Serapio Jr. (Tony) Duran; sisters, Viola Barela, Josie Martinez and Rosie Tollardo. She is survived by her three children, Rick (Sylvia) Medina, who reside in Santa Fe, Diana Ortega (Joseph) who reside in Taos, and Gary (Diane) Medina who reside in Casa Grande, Arizona.  Mary had 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brother Bobby (Cleo) Duran and sisters Dolly Martinez, Deena (Toby) Varos and Patsy (Russ) Dazen.

After graduating from Penasco High School Mary attended Business College in Denver and later moved to Taos where her family had relocated.  In 1946 Mary met the love of her life, Joe Medina and they married in November of that year. Mary and Joe were happily married for 46 years.  Mary enjoyed a 32-year career with the Health and Social Services Agency in Taos, retiring in 1978.  Mary had many accomplishments in her long career but was most proud of helping dozens of Taoseños attend college.  Mary was a strong believer in the importance of education and was very proud that her three children earned college degrees. The Health and Social Services Building in Taos was named the Mary D. Medina in her honor for her many years of service.

Mary was a woman of many talents.  She was an accomplished seamstress, jelly maker, loved to bake bread, cakes and pies, and even in her 90’s could still make empanadas, tamales and other northern New Mexican dishes. While still working, Mary opened Mary’s Yarn and Gift Shop.  Mary had an intense interest in all types of arts and crafts and could crochet, knit, create dried floral arrangements and did expert needlepoint pillows.  Mary loved music and learned to play guitar and the organ.  In the early 1970’s, in what started as a hobby for relaxation, Mary began taking painting lessons from Mary Lee Garrett and over the years became an accomplished and well-known artist.  In 1976, then New Mexico Governor Jerry Apodaca and his wife Clara were attending the Taos Fiestas and saw Mary’s painting of the Taos Pueblo hanging at a local restaurant.  Mrs. Apodaca decided this was the perfect gift to give to Princess Grace of Monaco who was visiting New Mexico at the time.  Mrs. Apodaca bought the painting and presented the painting as a gift from the Governor to Princess Grace.  Mary always found it hard to believe that a painting of hers is hanging somewhere in the Principality of Monaco.

Many Taosenos own paintings from Mary who specialized in painting realistic scenes of Taos, including the Taos Pueblo, Ranchos De Assisi church, Indian pottery and local adobe houses.  Mary would expand her painting expertise to local scenery and flowers.

This past July the Taos Fiesta Council honored Mary as a 2022 Fiestas de Taos Honoree with the honorary title of Doña for her love of Taos, her many years of service and contributions to the Taos Community, and being a role model for those who knew her.

Funeral services for Mary will be held on October 6, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rivera Family Mortuary, located at 417 East Rodeo Road in Santa Fe. With interment at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe at 1:00 p.m.