Clara Ramirez

Clara Rose (Rivas) Ramirez

October 21, 1932 – October 2, 2023

With a loud clap of thunder, Clara Rose Ramirez, 90-years old, peacefully passed away Monday, October 2, 2023, at La Posada Mesilla Valley Hospice.

Clara was surrounded by her children as she entered eternal life.

Clara Rose was born Friday, October 21, 1932, in Rincon, N.M. to Pilar Vasquez “P.V” Rivas and Rafaela “Fela” Ruth (Galindo) Rivas. She was the oldest of four children P.V. and Fela raised.

The Rivas family moved to Las Cruces after P.V. worked at the Long Beach shipyard during World War II. In Las Cruces, Clara attended Holy Cross School, which then was at St. Genevieve Catholic Church, in downtown Las Cruces.

She loved living in Las Cruces, where she was close to her parents, brother, and sisters, and especially close to her grandmother, Leonor Galindo.

While attending high school and for a very short period after that, Clara worked for the City of Las Cruces as a secretary to the City Manager, and later in the Las Cruces’ Motor Vehicle Division office.

Clara graduated in 1950 from Las Cruces Union High School, where she met and married the boy-across-the-street, Vicente Ramirez, who was a two-sport letterman in basketball and baseball.

Clara soon began raising her family. During the next 20 years, or so, Clara birthed seven children. Her firstborn, Florencio “Larry,” arrived in February 1951, and was followed by a second son, Teodoro “Ted,” in February 1952.

Larry and Ted were followed by Steven in July 1956, Mary in February 1958; Vicente “Vince” Jr., in November 1960, Judy in April 1962, and Ruth Leonore in September 1971.

Clara was a dedicated and devoted mother, and “Rosie’s” love also was strong and unwavering for her parents, her brother, Joe, and sisters Nellie and Stella.

After Judy started school in 1968, Clara decided to go back to work. She found a job as a record’s clerk in the Registrar’s Office at New Mexico State University and worked there, while still raising her children, until 1993.

Clara built strong bonds and some close, lifetime friendships at NMSU. Clara loved sports, particularly NMSU football and basketball. She had season tickets to Aggie basketball from the day the Pan American Center opened, and even though she has passed, she still has the same Pan Am seats she bought on Day One.

Clara also had NMSU football season tickets and she was there when the “new” Aggie Memorial Stadium opened in September 1978. For years after that, she and Ruth enjoyed their season tickets at the 40-yard line.

When NMSU played as a member of the Big West Conference, Clara regularly attended the conference tournament in Long Beach and especially in Las Vegas. Clara, her best and closest friend, Josie Pena, and Ruth always had a blast watching the Aggies play basketball.

Clara’s passion for NMSU athletics carried over to her time as a member of NMSU’s Athletic Council during the late 1970s. She proudly served as the council’s recording secretary, and there were more than a few times she and her mom, Fela, would surprise the Athletic Council with lunches of homemade enchiladas with all the trimmings.

Even as the years continued to add up and her strength waned, she still followed the Aggies on TV and radio from home. Her passion for sports carried over to Las Cruces High School football and basketball, and for several years during the mid and late 1990s and early 2000s, she enjoyed working the souvenir and merchandise table at Bulldawgs football games.

She always managed to find time to attend and enjoy all the games her grandchildren participated in.

Clara is survived by her children, Ted (Jeanene), Steve, Mary Audetat (Rudy), Vince (Darlene), Judy Long (David), and Ruth. She is also survived by sisters Nellie Chavez and Stella Armenta.

Clara is also survived by eight grandchildren: Jaime Ramirez, Amanda Norton (Trevor), Jeffrey Ramirez, Brian Ramirez (Sara), Rebecca Rodriguez (Daniel) , Paul Ramirez, Nicholas Ramirez, and David “D.J.” Long (Ashlyn). She also has seven great-grandchildren: Aaron and Gabriella Ramirez, Lucas Rodriguez, Aliza Jane and Damien Long, and Hannah and Alexander Ramirez.

Clara is also celebrated and cherished by her close, dear friend Josie Pena, and daughter in-laws Nanette and Nancy.

Not to be overlooked, Clara also is survived by her dog, Chloe, who never strayed far during these final years.

Waiting to welcome Clara into eternal life are her son, Larry, who passed away in April; her parents P.V. and Rafaela, her brother Joe “Sonny” Rivas, and her husband, Vicente.

Services for Clara will begin at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, at St. Genevieve Catholic Church, 100 S. Espina St. The Rosary will be prayed at 1:30 p.m. followed by Mass at 2 p.m. Cremation has taken place, and a private family service will occur later.

In lieu of flowers, Clara’s family urges donations be made instead to Mesilla Valley Hospice, whose care and compassion was beyond incredible in Mom’s final days.

Arrangements to celebrate Clara’s loving and caring life are entrusted to Getz Funeral Home, 1410 E. Bowman Ave., Las Cruces, NM.