On Wednesday, March 27, 2019, Emilia Placencio, loving wife and mother of 7, passed away at the age of 97. Emilia was born on August 5, 1921, in Sherman, NM, to Thomas and Dolores Montoya. Emilia lived a long and colorful life full of people she loved and was always a hard worker. She was raised between Faywood, where her parents lived and San Lorenzo where she and her siblings lived with their grandmother so they could attend school. As a child she worked picking crops alongside her family as they traveled from New Mexico to California during the Great Depression and as a teenager helped with her family’s bootlegging operation during the Prohibition Era. Later in her life, she shared stories of how to make the liquor from the fruit that came from the family’s orchards. Once married and while raising her family, she volunteered for many organizations such as March of Dimes and Yucca Home Extension Club, she loved spending time with her neighbors and helping them whenever she was needed. She was a very active member of Santa Clara Catholic Church as a Eucharistic Minister, CCD teacher, Funeral Ministry and doing anything else they needed. She worked for Cobre Schools at the Central Elementary cafeteria where she retired after 25 years. She loved her family and friends and she loved to cook. If you came to visit, she wouldn’t let you leave without an amazing meal and a full tummy which always included homemade tortillas and red chili. She wouldn’t sit until everyone was fed and happy. She was the epitome of a selfless person and was kind to everyone she met.

She is survived by her stepson Gilbert and his wife Mary, son Arturo Montoya and his wife Daenna, son Ernesto Placencio, daughter Rosemary Arguello, son Mariano Placencio and his wife Carol, daughter Magdalena Placencio, and son Thomas Placencio and wife Geraldine, sister Genoveva Hernandez, sister Mary Trujillo, sister Della Peña (Edward), and brother Henry Montoya (Ruby). She is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, 4 great, great-grandchildren and her newfound family at Ft. Bayard Medical Center who cared for her as if she was one of their own family members. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Guillermo Placencio, Sr., son Guillermo Placencio Jr., her parents Thomas and Dolores Montoya, her brother Richard Montoya and sisters, Eloisa Armendariz, Elvira Peña, and Grace Flores. Visitation will be Wednesday, April 3 from 5-6pm at Terrazas Funeral Chapels with the holy rosary being recited by Deacon Richard Rodriguez to begin at 6pm. The funeral liturgy will be celebrated on Thursday, April 4 at 9:30am at Santa Clara Catholic Church with Father Robert Becerra officiating. Concluding service and interment will follow at Fort Bayard National Cemetery where she will be laid to rest with her husband. Pallbearers will be Larry Montoya, John Arguello Jr., Keith Placencio, Mario Placencio, Rodrigo Montemayor, Jason Placencio, Timothy Arguello, and Guillermo Montemayor. Honorary Pallbearers John Arguello, Sr., Joseph & Daniel Williams, Keith, Mark & Matthew Montoya, Edward Jr. & Rudy Peña and Ruben Holguin. Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels “Trusted care for the ones you love” ~ 575-537-0777. To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.