Sofie (Jaramillo) Benavidez

Sofie (Jaramillo) Benavidez

1932-2022

Sofie (Jaramillo) Benavidez, age 89, a resident of Los Chavez, and a devout member of the Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, passed away peacefully in her home on the morning of Saturday, July 2, 2022.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband, Joe; parents, Conrado and Francisquita (Baca) Jaramillo; sisters, Elsie Padilla (Florian) and Margaret Gutierrez (Roy); and brothers, Toby Jaramillo (Dorla) and Daniel Jaramillo (Carmen Campos).

Sofie is survived by her two daughters, Veronica (Melissa), of Albuquerque, and Annadine Benavidez, of Santa Fe; three grandchildren, Steve (Alicia), Erica Salazar (Andy) and Frances Sisneros; six great- grandchildren, Joel, James, Stevie, Joey, Catalina and Alice; sister, Monica Beck; and many close nieces, nephews and friends.

She was born in Marquez, N.M., and moved with her family to Los Lunas at age 2. Sofie graduated from Los Lunas High School in 1950. In 1957, she married her husband, Joe, and they began their life and family together, raising their two daughters, Annadine and Veronica, in Los Chavez.

Sofie always wanted to be a bookkeeper, and after bookkeeping positions with Huning Mercantile and the Albuquerque Country Club, she began a career in county government in the early 1950s, where she started in the Valencia County Treasurer’s Office. Sofie later became chief deputy treasurer and secretary to the county manager before becoming the county purchaser, retiring in 1989.

After a few years of retirement, she went back to work as a teacher’s assistant with the Belen Consolidated Schools, where she retired after several years of service.

When Sofie wasn’t working, she enjoyed many things and kept busy. She loved her family and friends, and enjoyed cooking for them and attending every event from sports and academic activities to family functions.

Sofie enjoyed reading and cross word puzzles, working in her yard, going to yard sales, shopping, going out to eat, and telephone conversations with family and friends. She loved to travel and went on several trips, near and far.

Sofie was a talented seamstress and crafter, making things from clothes to beaded earrings, Christmas ornaments, blankets and needle point. She also had a great love and passion for genealogy, and organizing her photo albums and scrap books. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t do.

Sofie served as a catechism teacher and election poll worker, and she volunteered at the schools and St. Vincent de Paul. She also participated in line dancing for many years with the Valley Line Dancers.

A visitation will be held at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church at 9:30 a.m., Friday, July 8, with a Rosary to be recited at 10:30 a.m. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be Kevin and Jeremy Gutierrez, Gene Padilla, Daniel, Michael and Patrick Jaramillo, Steve and Frances Sisneros, and her great-grandson, Joel.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff from Ambercare, her friend and caregiver, Asia Dunnagan, and the caring staff from Romero Funeral Home.

Please sign Sofie’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.