Mariah Faye Ortiz-Ortiz

Mariah Faye Ortiz was called to sing with the angels on June 7, 2023. Mariah was born in Las Cruces, NM to Herman and Gabriela Ortiz on April 21, 1992. She grew up in Garfield, NM alongside her four siblings Adriana, Erica, Lorena, and Quentin. Mariah had a deep connection to her roots in her hometown, Garfield, where she made many joyful memories working on her family's farm, attending church, and spending time with her loved ones. She was a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. She graduated from Hatch Valley High School and received her bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University. Mariah went on to attend Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude with her juris doctor degree. She championed human rights and stood for those who could not stand for themselves in sickness and health, even representing child refugees for several years during her law career in Houston, TX. For the last couple of years, Mariah had been working as Associate General Counsel at NMSU, when she had returned to her beloved New Mexico to be closer to her family. Mariah dedicated her life to raising her two beautiful daughters, Emelia and Ella, with the father of her children, Eli Yaw. From the day she became a mom, she was driven to be the strongest, most hardworking, comforting, and selfless version of herself. Her beautiful brown eyes would sparkle at the slightest mention of her daughters. She surrounded them with love and protection every day and will continue to do so. Mariah was the epitome of someone who "makes me smile when skies are grey." She was known for her kindness, creativity, wit, and angelic singing. She could always be found listening and singing along to music. She was gifted in her many pursuits of music, reading, writing, poetry, and law. Despite her many accomplishments, she remained humble, faithful, and selfless. She fiercely loved her family and friends. There was not a mountain top or ocean Mariah would not cross for the people she loved. She was a confidant, a protector, and an ally to anyone who came to her in need. Mariah would conquer the world in silence while celebrating at the top of a mountain for her family and friends' smallest of successes. Mariah had an indescribable charm and sense of humor. She could bring a funeral to tears with her voice, and to laughter with her humor. Her contagious smile radiated warmth and made you feel at home. She had the unique quality of making every person she spoke to feel seen, and always took the time to cultivate special relationships with each person she loved. Friends describe her as amazing, beautiful, caring, hilarious, strong-willed, and reliable. She was an angel on earth to all those dear to her and will now forever be our guardian angel. With the voice of an angel, she has been called to sing amongst them and watch over the ones she left behind. To know her is to love her. Mariah is preceded in death by her paternal grandfather, Silvino Ortiz; maternal grandfather, Santiago Ortiz; maternal grandmother, Guadalupe Ortiz; maternal aunt, Silvia Ortiz; and maternal uncle Fernando Ortiz. She is survived by her daughters, Emelia, and Ella Yaw; parents, Herman, and Gabriela Ortiz; husband, Eli Yaw; siblings, Adriana Ortiz, Erica Ortiz-Brown and husband Sean Brown, Lorena Ortiz, and Quentin Ortiz; nephew, Harrison Brown; and maternal grandmother, Annie Mae Ortiz. Extended family - Sylvia, Casey, Nichole, and Matthew McGuire; Claudia, Carl, Carl McKendree, William, and Henry Stimmel; Cecilia Ortiz-Lucero, Andrew Mijarez, and Alessandra Mijarez and fianc John Assaf; Silvia Juarez, Antonio Juarez Ortiz, and Santiago Ortiz. Close friends - Nadia Morrow, Yadet Duran, Erica Martinez, and Alexa Taylor. Rosary and funeral mass for Mariah will be held on June 16, 2023, at 1:30 pm at San Isidro Catholic Church in Garfield, NM, officiated by Father Ivan Torres. Honorary pall bearers include Sean Brown, Matthew McGuire, Alex Ochoa, Casey McGuire, Andrew Mijarez, Nathan Yaw, La'Shawn Keys, Ian Vasquez, Axel Vasquez, Roy Collins, Bob Collins, Ryan Lawrence, and all the players of her little brother's beloved Las Cruces Youth Soccer Team (FC Pythons). Service Information
Friday, June 16, 2023 2:00pm,
San Isidro Catholic Church

Address Not Available






Rosary Service
Friday, June 16, 2023 1:30pm,
San Isidro - Garfield

2003 Loma Parda
Garfield, New Mexico 87936