Antonio Ortiz

Antonio "Tony" Ortiz, 83, was born on April 24, 1938, and entered into the Lord’s Kingdom on January 3, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jose and Catarina Ortiz, his loving wife Margarita, and his grandson Jacob. Tony is survived by his 4 sons, Tony Jr. (Bea), Rick (Barbara), Charlie, and Eddie (Monica), daughter, Christina Turrietta, 4 grandchildren, Krissy, Anthony, Rochelle, and Joy, and 2 great-granddaughters, Aliviah and Amerie.

Tony was retired from Asarco and then proceeded to serve the Lord as a pastor for over 40 years. He was a cherished member of his community where he loved to help people and served as a volunteer. His wife, Margarita, was his world and not a day went by that he didn’t miss her by his side. We are comforted knowing that they are finally reunited in eternal life.

Tony will be dearly missed by all his family and friends that love him very much. May Antonio "Tony" Ortiz rest in peace.

Services to be Friday, February 4 at 1100 at the First Baptist Church Ruidoso.

270 Country Club Dr, Ruidoso, NM 88345

It will also be live-streamed at https://www.firstruidoso.com/livestream

The memorial slideshow can be viewed at https://photos.app.goo.gl/bbtkKjaeXUWipci18

Due to COVID precautions, there will be no reception or gathering at the family home.

Tony:

The first time I drove to dad’s house in the mountains was a sweet experience. I took Lucy, my daughter’s dog with me. He immediately fell in love with her! He was all over her and gave her so much attention! My dad made lunch for us all of us, including Lucy. He fried ham in a pan for her. This really surprised me! My dad was not a person who showed much affection to pets, but he did to Lucy that day! I was so happy to see how my Lucy warmed my dad’s heart. It will forever be a beautiful memory for me. Dad, thank you for the memories! I Love you!

Rick:

My favorite memory of my Father was when I took him fishing at Grindstone Lake in Ruidoso, New Mexico. I had just set-up his fishing rod and placed my best lure on his line so he could catch fish and he wouldn't get bored. I had forgot my pliers in the truck, so I went to retrieve them. Two minutes later my Dad told me his lure was stuck in some rocks. I pulled on the line, but it broke and lost the lure.

I told my Dad that it didn't matter because I could buy another one. Best fishing trip ever! There are many more memories, but this is my favorite one. Thanks for the memories, Dad! Love You and miss you more than words can say!

Charlie:

I am amazed at all the outpouring of love we have received from everyone who knew my dad. He often spoke with me about his days volunteering and how he made the fluffiest pancakes!

I shared many moments with my dad, and he may have told you we would butt heads on occasion. He would always tell me how I am stubborn, or his favorite phrase in Spanish for me: "Muy Cabezon.” I would simply reply "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" and I always got a kick at seeing his face light up and just hearing him laugh so hard.

It had been a while since my parents had been on a real vacation, so I planned a vacation for them in Chama, New Mexico. I rented a cabin and for an entire week. We enjoyed spending time playing horseshoes and taking little hikes into the forest. We took a memorable ride on the the Cumbres and Toltec steam engine.

Another great memory is when I was in elementary school selling chocolates for a fundraiser. I assumed if you didn't sell many you could keep the rest of the chocolate bars, so I started eating them up. When it came time to collect, I had no money and no chocolates. My dad and I went to "pay my debt." They told my dad I ate the chocolates and didn't sell a single bar. My Dad looked them square in the eye and said, "You gave a box of candies to a little fat kid and expected him to not eat them." I was grateful he defended me.

A movie that reminds me of my dad is Big Fish. My Dad was truly larger than life. He will be sorely missed but his memory will live within all of us.

Eddie:

I have a lot of memories of pops that couldn't fit in the obit, where would I even start. My dad was always there for me and my brothers. Every day supporting us, leading us in the right direction in being good kids by taking us to church, and showing us how to be hard workers. My dad literally worked a lot, very hard, and was always ready to help out a neighbor or friend in whatever they needed. My big memory of pops is that he always was there for me no matter what. He was my biggest influence, and a lot of my memories are in my heart. When everyone said to give up on me, he said “No, that's my son. I’ll never give up on him.” And I'm glad because I made him and my mom so proud of what I accomplished! Especially hitting 20 years at work! He was very proud of me. He told me that he loved me very much; that I have no idea how much he loved me. He loved going to church and serving God, just like my mom, and they raised us up right.

Gordy (Christina):

The other day, my Tio told a nurse “I don’t have a daughter, but I have a Christina.” Him and I were so different, but we were always able to find things we both love. I enjoyed watching Disney movies and laughing at silly things with him. I can still hear him say “shut up” like Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. We once resorted to “watching” an Angels game by refreshing the game stats on Google and we were both so excited the whole time. It was always fun to watch Thea and Penny wiggle and bark with excitement when they would see the van pull into the driveway. They knew that the van came with one of their favorite humans, tennis balls, and treats. My Tio and I shared a lot of laughs, and I will keep him alive in my heart and my memories. I will be forever grateful for everything that he has done for me. I love you and miss you so much already, Tio!