Hortencia Calamia

Hortencia Calamia, a life-long resident of El Paso, TX, passed away on March 6, 2017 at Providence Hospital from Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. She was 85. Her father and mother were Jose and Epifania Medina who immigrated to El Paso from northern Chihuahua, Mexico in the early 1920s.

She attended Bowie High School, El Paso Evening School, earned her GED, and took courses at UTEP. In the mid-1950s Hortencia worked selling women’s apparel in El Paso at the Caples Building and later in life at Dillard’s Department Store from 1982 to 1993. In 1977, she also served as a teacher’s aid. During the early 1980s she worked as a care giver for elderly people at the Sarah Care Home Health Care.

Always generous, gracious, and kind to everyone, she was above all a care giver, especially for the elderly, crippled, and sick. For many years she cared for her injured mother and then for over 20 years she cared for her husband who suffered with Parkinson’s Disease. She loved tending to her home garden, cooking Mexican and Italian meals, and spending time with family and friends. Swimming and water aerobics also were activities she also enjoyed. Throughout her life she especially loved spending time with various pet cats she owned, all of which were very close to her.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph A. Calamia (February 2009). Her siblings were Roberto Medina, Ernesto Medina, Jose (Pepe) Medina, and sisters, Margarita Armijo and Maria Juarez. Hortenica is survived by her son Mark Calamia, daughter Virginia Calamia, stepson Joseph Robert Calamia, and brother Hector Medina. She had four grandsons Daniel Aguilar Jr., Patrick Aguilar, Mario Aguilar, Paul Braden, and five great grandchildren.

Vigil Service will be Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at Hillcrest Funeral Home-West. Memorial Mass will be Friday, March 17, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 400 W. Sunset Rd. Interment will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery, West Shelter.

Services under the direction of HILLCREST FUNERAL HOME-WEST

5054 Doniphan Dr. (915) 587-0202.