Dana Chavez, a devoted wife, mother, sister, and friend passed away April 21st, 2026 at the age of 57.

Dana is survived by her husband, Steven; her daughters, Juliana, Jayden and her husband, Michael Perez, and Jamie; her mother Kathie; her sister, Kelli, and her partner, Eddie; Kelli’s children, Brandi and her husband Tony, and their son, Daven, Tatiana, and Marshall; and her brother, Kevin, and his wife, Sonia, and their sons, Erik and Jordan. She was preceded in death by her father, David Romero.

The only surviving twin she was born in Denver, Colorado on October 25th, 1968, she was adopted by David and Kathie Romero. Being the baby of the family, her siblings would describe her easily as being her father's favorite. She is remembered as being very studious even as a young child that loved to go to Church each week, even sometimes going with the neighbors. When she wasn’t studying, you could find Dana putting on shows with her friends Bert and Kat, reading, and waiting for new episodes of Scooby Doo. She also enjoyed spending time with her cousin Larry (deceased) and Uncle Eddie.

Dana attended Santa Fe High School (Class of ‘86) where she was still just as studious, ranking within top 20 of her class while also participating in the SFHS dance team. Her caring nature got her a part-time job at St. Vincent’s that she absolutely loved. In her senior year, Dana was awarded the presidential scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico on a full ride where she graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Communicative Disorders with minors in Biology and Chemistry.

She met her future husband on the 4th of July of 1987 shortly before he joined the army. Dana, knowing how much letters meant to her brother while he served, became Steven’s best pen pal while he was away. Falling in love one letter at a time led to an engagement over the phone while Steven was stationed overseas and an epic wedding during a snowstorm on December 30th, 1989. The beginning of their marriage was filled with living in a handful of new places including Oak Grove, KY, Denver, CO, and Santa Fe, NM, finally settling in Albuquerque, NM. Along the way, they had their first daughter, Juliana, born at the very same hospital as Dana. They settled in their new house, then finished off their family with Jayden and Jamie.

Throughout her life, Dana held a handful of titles: dental assistant, child care attendant, tutor, and educational assistant. However, the roles she held closest to her heart were Mother and Wife as her true passion was her family. The highlight of each school year was the parent teacher conference, where she would often cry about all the good news. Never missing a belt testing, recital, gallery opening, or performance, she took pride in the achievements of her family. Her attention to detail and mind like a steel trap kept her family on track, on time and well-taken care of as she made sure everyone got to where they needed to go.

In addition to being a mom, Dana had many passions. She loved a good story. Whether it was through reading, true crime documentaries, or listening to her family talk about their day, she was completely invested which made her the most empathetic listener. If you needed, she would cry with you, laugh with you, help you come up with a game plan, and maybe cry with you

again. A self-proclaimed foodie, she cherished dinners with her “Fine” Friends and her dad and husband’s cooking, though it was the company that made those meals her favorite. She also enjoyed puzzles and board games, but would never play in a way that would jeopardize whoever she was playing with.

Dana will be remembered not only for her love of singing silly songs to her dog, or long text messages, but for her loyalty, warmth, and strength as well. The way she lifted up those around her, as she was everyone’s number one fan. She will be remembered by her ability to finish a diet soda even though it is flat or watered down, and the way she would spend hours talking on the phone with her girls. Her passion for education will be remembered by the kids and students she interacted with throughout her career, and her daughters who she taught how to read before they started school giving them every advantage academically they could have. She always rooted for the underdog, wanting to see those around her rise to the occasion. She was faithful, kind, and compassionate, and her family and friends lives will forever be enriched having gotten to know her.

The Chavez family wishes to thank all the family and friends for the tremendous support during this difficult time.