Theresa "Tessie" Chavez

Theresa “Tessie” Chavez passed away peacefully on June 17, 2024, surrounded by family. She was born on September 21, 1930 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the second oldest of 11 children. She grew up in the Barelas neighborhood of Albuquerque and graduated from the old Albuquerque High School.

 Tessie worked as a bookkeeper before becoming a homemaker, raising 5 children of her own, as well as caring for other children in her community. She returned to working as a bookkeeper before becoming an Educational Assistant at Washington Middle School. 

 Tessie was a woman of great faith. She and her husband Tom were vibrant members of the St.Charles parish, even founding and leading the Spanish choir for years. They also sang in the ABQ City Choir, performing in Washington D.C. and New York City.

Tessie loved her friends and family deeply and exuded compassion and kindness. She loved working on puzzles, from jigsaw, to crossword and word searches, she was a master of all! She also loved arts and crafts, spending years participating in ceramics with friends at the Barelas C.C.

 Tessie was preceded in death by her husband, Tom, her parents Evangeline and Manuel, and her 5 siblings: Marie Suzanne Garcia, Manuel De Chavez Jr., Margaret Mary Lovato, Rosemarie Chavez (#1), Rosemarie Chavez Montoya (#2). She is survived by her children: Tom (Jody), Theresa, Kathy, Jerry, and Mike (Rhonda); 5 siblings: Ernest Joseph Chavez, Abe Anthony Chavez, Alice Chavez Daly, Patricia Chavez Miller, Robert John DeChavez; 8 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. 

 Services will be held on Friday, July 12th, 2024 at 10:30 am at the Daniels Wyoming Chapel, 7601 Wyoming Blvd. NE, ABQ, NM 87109. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tessie’s name to the Roadrunner Food Bank of NM or a charity of your choice.