Oralia Ibarra

Oralia Ibarra, 64, a resident of Rio Rancho since 1987 passed peacefully in the embrace of her family on the 26^th of February 2024. She is survived by her spouse, daughters, son in law, and grandchildren, Frank, Sarah & Sonya, Michael, Benjamin & William.

Oralia was welcomed into heaven’s eternal peace by her beloved mother and brother. She devoted her life to her family, who meant the world to her. She gave and worked without the desire for thanks or recognition. She was a constant student, dedicated to learning and harnessing knowledge. With each day, she welcomed the wonders and beauty of life. She understood that simple moments were the most important. Her positivity, kindness, and gentile heart inspired everyone she met.

Her childhood was spent in sunshine filled days with her family in Camargo, Mexico. As a young woman, she was driven to strengthen her linguistic skills and became an executive secretary for some of Mexico’s finest electromechanics engineers. In the fall of 1984, she met her husband and they began their lives together on June 15^th the following year. They built a foundation and a future for their daughters while she worked as a team lead manufacturing technician at Intel Corporation for 19 years. After, she journeyed across financial and medical fields and championed each with her curious mind and infallible determination.

It was the joy of her life to be a grandmother to her two “pajaritos.” As Grandma Lala, she taught her grandsons how to play, sing, dance, jump, run, read, and most importantly - love. Sharing crisp mornings searching for lizards, walking through the shade of the botanic gardens, making orange juice, and reciting the planets were her most cherished memories. She’ll be with them always. She’ll guide them with her tenderness always. Her smile will shine upon them always.

We ask that you remember her during simple moments that make you smile. Think of her when you pass a bouquet of flowers. Remind yourself of her playfulness and feel the freedom she felt to be fun and silly. Speak to her about your troubles. Her limitless wisdom, strength, and love will aid you. Tell stories about her often. Teach others what she taught you. Above all else, live like her. Live for her.

Oralia’s favorite things:

Eating popcorn with M&Ms at the movies. Watering her plants. Cranberry & orange scones. Lord of the Rings. Transformers. Skipping rocks. Balloon fiesta mornings. Listening to music. Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Abba, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars in particular. Fresh agua de Jamaica. Cheering for her favorite sports teams. Warm cups of chamomile tea – not too much sugar. Hugs, she gave the best hugs. Talking about everything and nothing while time passed. Fresh clean sheets. Ankle boots. Aprons to wear while she cooked. Preparing meals for others. Architecture. She’d like to say “how impressive” when seeing ships or walking into stadiums. Big scoops of ice cream. Lunch at Olive Garden. History, travel, and yoga books. Filing her nails. Sunsets. Carousel rides at Disneyland. Bright colored soft scarves. Gift giving.  Laughing at jokes, especially her own. Wearing big hats. Telling her loved ones to cover their heads when it was windy. Wetting her toes in the ocean. Above all else, her family.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at 10:00am at Daniels Family Funeral Services - Sara Chapel. A rosary will be recited the same day at St. Thomas Aquinas at 1:00pm with a mass to follow. After the mass, we invite all to join us for a reception in the D'Arco Parish Hall.