Raquel Montoya Gonzales

Raquel Montoya Gonzales went to be with our Lord & Savior and her babies Mary and Ruth on April 24, 2023. She was born on February 2, 1932, in Clifton, Arizona to Timoteo and Elena Montoya, one of nine children.

Raquel grew up in Clifton and graduated from Clifton High School. On November 24, 1955, she married Fernando V. Gonzales and on January 29, 1957, the couple was blessed with a daughter, JoAnn. They lived in Clifton until 1957 then moved to Phoenix, Arizona. After the loss of her baby daughters Mary and Ruth on December 8, 1958, the couple welcomed their son Fernando Buddy Gonzales on March 6, 1960. Buddy was Raquel's pride and joy and would refer to him as her "Special Order Baby".

On October 1975 Raquel, Fernando and Buddy moved to Flora Vista, New Mexico while JoAnn remained in Tempe, Arizona attending Arizona State University. Raquel loved her new home in Flora Vista and she and Buddy began to work planting apple and pear trees which to this date still stand. Raquel loved to garden and tend to their horses, goats and many fur babies. Raquel loved to travel, and she and Fernando would later travel twice to Hawaii and twice to Europe visiting Spain and Portugal. Stateside travel consisted of visits to San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, New Orleans, Nashville, New York, Dallas, and San Antonio. But Raquel was always happy to return to the home she loved in Flora Vista. Raquel especially loved springtime when her apple tree blossoms would fragrance the air along with the lilac bushes and her tulips would begin blooming. Raquel would spend the last three years on her back patio with Buddy reminiscing about the time they spent working on the property. These were precious moments between Raquel and Buddy whom she still referred to as her "Special Order Baby" even as he was now in his sixties. Raquel could be heard telling Fernando "I'm so glad Buddy is home”.

Raquel was preceded in death by her two babies Mary and Ruth. Raquel is survived by her best friend and husband of 67 years Fernando V. Gonzales, daughter JoAnn Greenfield (Michael), son Fernando Buddy Gonzales (Esther) and sister Mary Helen Espinoza, of Clifton, Arizona.

Mass of intention will be on May 23, 2023, at 5:30 pm at Sacred Heart Church in Farmington, New Mexico. Interment will be at Saint Francis Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.