Lucia Sanchez

Lucia McTeigue Sanchez
On a sign on the side of the road in New Mexico there is a picture of a woman who personifies the Hondo River Valley. Lucia McTeigue Sanchez left this world on September 17th, 2018, but it is only appropriate that her image of a strong woman taking care of her land will persist in Lincoln County for generations.
She grew up on this land and was shaped by it. As a child she rode with her parents and brothers in a horse drawn wagon back and forth to their ranch in Arabella. Lucia was born December 12, 1928, the only daughter of Fredrick and Cleotilde Lucero McTeigue. She was preceded in death by her brothers Lincoln, Bill, McKinley, Alfred, Jimmy and Michael (who died in infancy). Those who loved her surely appreciated the fierce spirit of a woman raised in the midst of men.
She married Monroe Sanchez at St. John the Baptist Parish in Lincoln, NM. She occasionally told the story of how they met with him telling her laughingly "I'm going to marry you" and her stubborn response of "oh no you won't." Fortunately for their five children and nine grandchildren, on that issue, Monroe was correct.
If you lived in Roswell, New Mexico in the 50's you may have come across a tiny woman diligently taking her children to mass at Poor Clare's Monastery. She passed that faith, and that persistence, on to everyone who knew her. In 1967 Lucia and Monroe moved to Tucson, Arizona when he was transferred to Davis Monthan AFB. They continued to raise their children while she worked full-time, becoming an expert in the jewelry field. But she always made time to practice her abiding faith with the community at St. Joseph's. Eventually their lives came full circle and after retiring, Lucia and Monroe returned to the Hondo River Valley where they built their home. There, they would come to welcome their grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to their Hondo home.
In Hondo, Lucia attended mass at St. Jude Church in San Patricio. She was an exceptional seamstress, and as a product of the Great Depression she was skillful at turning scraps of fabric into beautiful quilts. She taught her grandchildren how to make tortillas and enjoyed working at the race track in the summer. After Monroe passed away in Dec. 1998, she was the primary caretaker of her land, irrigating and tending to the cows and fields well into her eighties. She was a champion of the places and people she loved. She was a believer in miracles and the Saints who protect us. One of the joys of her life was travelling to Phoenix to see Pope John Paul II.
Lucia McTeigue Sanchez will be laid to rest on Monday September 24th after a funeral mass at 10 am at St. Jude. There will be a rosary at the church at 9 am, before the mass. She leaves us for a better place where she will be reunited with Monroe, her parents, brothers and many loved ones. Her children, Fred (Denise) and Pat (Joyce), Price, Utah; Belinda DeBaca, Santa Fe; Anne Marie, Tularosa and Therese, Ruidoso and all of her grandchildren are praying for her eternal rest. In lieu of flowers please send donations to American Cancer Society or your favorite charity.