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Lugardita “Lita” Chavez, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, entered eternal rest on January 9, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by love.
Born on August 20, 1943, in Alamogordo, Lita lived a life rooted in faith, hard work, and service to others. She was a devoted and active member of the community throughout her life, known for her kindness, strength, and unwavering dedication to those around her.
A woman of deep Catholic faith, Lita faithfully served as Majordomo of Santo Niño de Atocha Catholic Church of Three Rivers and St. Francis de Paula Catholic Church of Tularosa, where her commitment to the Church and its traditions was evident to all who knew her. She was also a proud member of the Ladies Red Hat Society, where she enjoyed fellowship, friendship, and community involvement.
Lita worked for many years as a custodian at Tularosa High School, where she was respected for her strong work ethic and reliability. She also worked as a waitress at Al-o-mars, where she was well known for her warmth, generosity, and welcoming spirit. No matter the role, she carried herself with humility and pride, always offering kindness and care to others.
Lita is preceded in death by her parents, Isaac and Ramona Carabajal; her 1st husband, Celso Felix Chavez; her 2nd husband, Leroy Pena; her brothers, Paul, Isaac, and Dan; her sisters, Espie, Sally, and Nati; granddaughters, Patricia and Christian.
She is survived by her sisters, Carmen, Chelo, and Gloria; her 5 children, Celso II, Daniel (Alma “Rosie”), Salvador, Patrick (Delores), Elida (Steve); her grandchildren, Celso III, Candice, Samantha, Alyssa, Sonya, Daniel Jr., Jose, Mary; her great grandchildren, Damiana, Serenity, Jeffrey, Natalia, Lenora; along with her Pena stepsons; many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends who will cherish her memory always.
Funeral Services for Lugardita Chavez will be held on Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026, at St. Francis de Paula Catholic Church. Rosary will be recited at 10:00 am with Mass celebrated at 10:30 am.
Burial will follow Sacred Heart Cemetery. Celebration of life/comida will be held shortly after at the Parish Hall.
Pallbearers include Celso Chavez II, Celso Chavez III, Daniel Chavez, Daniel Chavez Jr., Patrick Chavez, Salvador Chavez, and Jose Garcia.
Flower donations are gratefully appreciated at this time and can be sent to and received at Alamogordo Funeral Home no later than Tuesday afternoon; her favorite flower was the rose.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Tina Birraza for her compassion, love and care in caring for Lita for 6 years in her home.
Lita will be remembered for her devotion to her faith, her tireless service to her community, and the love she gave so freely to her family and friends. May she rest in eternal peace.
