Mary Deleon

Mary DeLeon, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family at her La Junta home on October 19, 2011, she was 90.  She was born on November 9, 1920 in La Junta, Colorado.
 
In her younger years Mary was a farm laborer, a dishwasher at France’s Café and Potties Café, worked at Western Canning and Pryor’s Manufacturing Co. She did house cleaning and worked for Galen and Nancy Baker for over 25 years. She took pride working
for Nancy Baker. Mary was a faithful member of Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick’s Parish and was a member of Circle 5. She was a devout Catholic who prayed the Holy Rosary daily and faithfully.
 
Mary enjoyed baking, cooking, sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, and gardening. She enjoyed visiting the casinos and bingo parlors. She was an avid Denver Broncos, Nuggets and Rockies fan.
She was born to Eufemia Vargas Raso, raised by her grandparents Melecio Vargas and Feliciana Hernandez.
 
She married Jose Patricio DeLeon on Nov. 25, 1939 in La Junta. The first two children, Connie & Vickie, lived a day each. Our loving mother was the Matriarch of La Familia DeLeon.
 
The surviving sons and daughters are; Johnnie, Sr. (Mabel) of La Junta; the late Patrick, Tino (Doris) of Pueblo, CO; Joseph Val (Mable) of La Junta, David (Yolanda) of Colorado Springs, Delbert of the home, Gary (Viola) of Aurora, CO; Larry (Paula) of Wichita, KS, Rosie (Juan) Ibarra of Aurora, CO, Betty (Anthony) Salazar of La Junta, Virginia DeLeon-Garcia of Garden City, KS, Ramona (Roy) Roberts of La Junta, Guadalupe (Salvador) Gutierrez of La Junta, and Loretta (Marc) Mares of St. Louis, MO. God- daughter, Katherine Garcia-Huerta of Garden City, KS and God-son, Mike Aragon of Pueblo, CO. Two hundred and fifty grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great, great-grandchildren; brother Mario Raso; sister-in-law, Mary DeLeon Neatherlin and her brother-in-law, Julio Rodriguez.  Numerous nephews and nieces also survive.
 
Mary was preceded in death by family members; Husband Jose Patricio, son Patrick J., daughters Connie and Vickie; Grand-daughter Christy Lee Gutierrez; Great-grandsons Elijah Martinez and Elias Gallegos; mother Eufemia Raso; father-in-law Jose Cruz DeLeon; mother-in-law Rufina (Betancur) DeLeon; grandfather Melecio Vargas;  grandmother Feliciana Hernandez; sister Louisa Rodriguez; sister-in-laws Felipa Soto and Consuelo DeLeon; brother- in-laws Antonio Soto and Ezequiel (Zeke) DeLeon; aunts Nicolasa, Jenoveva and Soledad Vargas and Uncle Arnulfo Vargas.; nieces Mary Ann Rodriguez, Theresa DeLeon and Judy Soto; nephews Johnny Soto, Steve Soto, Bill Schoengarth and Rudy Schoengarth.
 
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be Friday, October 28, 2011, at 10:00 a.m.  Both services will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe/St. Patrick Parish with Father Alphonsus Ihuoma officiating.  Interment will follow the Mass at Calvary Cemetery. A dinner reception will follow the interment at the Knights of Columbus Hall.
Pallbearers will Zachary DeLeon-Mares, Anthony Paul Salazar, Tomas Gutierrez, Misael Huerta, J.J. Martinez, Monica Mondragon, Danielle Gallegos and Kristi DeLeon. Honorary Pallbearers are Mary’s numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great, great-grandchildren.
Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home and Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Arkansas Valley Hospice at Arkansas Valley Hospice Assoc., P.O. Box 408, La Junta, CO 81050.