Maria Garay

Services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 17, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church for Maria De La Paz Garay of Artesia, New Mexico. Mrs. Garay, 76, died Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at Artesia General Hospital. Fr. Paul Murtagh SS.CC. will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her nephews. Visitation will be at Terpening Son Mortuary Wednesday beginning at 10:00 a.m. A rosary will be at Our Lady of Grace Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Mrs. Garay was born April 17, 1933 in Ojinaga, Chihuahua Mexico; the daughter of Anastacio Brito and Sixta Lara Brito. On January 24, 1959 she was married to Conrado F. Garay in Ojinaga, Mexico. She came to Artesia in 1959 from Mexico. He preceded her in death April 18, 1998. She was also preceded in death by her parents; and brothers Jose Brito, Jorge Brito, Servando Brito, and Felipe Brito. Maria was a homemaker and a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. Survivors include her daughters Sylvia Ortiz and husband Daniel of Carlsbad, N.M., and Nancy Elrod and husband Deryl of Artesia; sons Saul Garay of Lubbock, Texas, and Noel Garay and wife Clara of El Paso, Texas; sisters Angela Hernandez, Magdalena Sanchez, Margarita Sanchez, Concepcion Hernandez, and Luz Ema Brito; brothers Amando Brito, and Daniel Brito; grandchildren Anthony and Omar Ortiz, Ramiro and Adrianna Frescas, Alexandria Garay, and Kiara Garay; and a great-granddaughter Evelyn Sadie Frescas.