Mollie Tafoya

Tafoya, Mollie
MALIA
Maria Natividad Amalia Tafoya
Married to Arturo Tafoya on January 14, 1950
Final day of rest, at her home in Albuquerque NM,
Thursday Dec 31, 2015
Malia was born December 3, 1931, in San Jose, New Mexico. Her family history can be traced to the original Spaniard’s. Her parents were Roman and Clara Ortiz, her siblings included six brothers and two sisters. During her childhood the family and community struggled through the Depression, war, and unemployment. We will always treasure the many stories we listened to of our parents growing up in San Jose and we were also fortunate, as children to have experienced the freedom of playing, exploring and taking part in the cultural customs of our heritage in San Jose.
Traveling Route 66 to find work lead them to Flagstaff Arizona, where Arturo and Malia raised their family. Arturo was Malia’s greatest love and they were married for nearly 66 years. Her greatest pride was her four sons; Art, Mike, Herman, and Steve, her eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. In the day when mom’s stayed home to raise the kids, Malia also found the time to work in the hotel industry. She always looked her best and as beautiful as she was that was easy to do. You were always welcomed in their home and you knew you would always get to enjoy a great home cooked meal.
Malia was diagnosed and lived with Parkinson’s disease for 42 years. Dealing with the disease was not easy for her, as active as she had been all her life it slowly stripped her of her mobility and eventually her life. She showed true bravery when she underwent an experimental brain surgery to help control the tremor’s, which proved successful and gave her a better quality of life for some time. She never gave up and through her example of living life she taught us compassion and patience.
Malia is survived by her husband Arturo; sons Art and wife Frances, Mike, Herman and wife Candie, Steve and partner Tim.
We would like to give special thanks to Delfina, her care giver, her son Mike for being here in her final moments, Art and Frances for the constant companionship and care provided, but most of all to our father Arturo for always being there with mom every day and caring and loving her during her life. Words cannot express the gratitude we must express to our brother Steve for being moms advocate and making sure that she received the best care, visiting and cooking for them daily and always making mom and dad a priority.
A Rosary will be recited on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. at Garcia Mortuary ~ Chapel of Angels on the corner of 8th and Iron. A Mass will be celebrated Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe, 1860 Griegos Rd. NW with Interment to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
To view information or leave a condolence please visit www.danielsfuneral.com
Garcia Mortuary
717 Stover Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-243-5222

---