Veronica Martinez

Veronica Marie Martinez, age 72, of Taos, NM, passed away on August 7, 2020, after a short, but brave, battle with cancer.  Born in Taos, NM, on March 21, 1948, she is preceded in death by her mother, Alice D. Martinez, her father, Adolfo D. Martinez, and sister, Emilia E. Martinez.  Veronica attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School and Central Catholic High School, where she was a member of the cheerleading squad her senior year.  After her 1966 high school graduation, she attended New Mexico State University, and then moved to Denver, Colorado, where she lived and worked at Colorado National Bank for four years.  She returned to New Mexico, living with her sister, Emilia, in Santa Fe for a number of years.  In 1983, Veronica moved back to Taos to help her mother care for her ill father, and she remained in Taos after his death and for all the years thereafter.  She worked at Leaping Lizards Preschool as an Educational Assistant and also at Taos Gravel as an Office Associate.  Veronica was a great baker, and she generously shared her many baked creations with her mother, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.  She was a devoted Catholic and member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Taos.  Veronica is survived by her sister, Georgiana Martinez-Montoya (Art), brothers Michael “Smokey” Martinez (Barbara), Karl Martinez (Becky), and Lucas Martinez (Carla), nieces Michele Gustafson (Charlie), Jennifer Martinez (Brian Archuleta), Olivia Garcia (Juan), and LeAnn Olonia, and nephews Andres Romero and Patrick Romero, many grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, including cousin Terrie Jones, for whom Veronica had a special fondness, and friends.  The family is deeply saddened at her passing and will miss her greatly. Private family service will be held. Family and friends are invited to to the burial Saturday August 15, 2020 at the Las Cruces Cemetery at 11:00AM. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.  Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home, Taos.  To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com