Criselia Lobato

Former longtime resident of Durango, Criselia Lobato, passed away in Gilbert, Arizona on December 3, 2014 at the age of 92. A rosary will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 254 E. 5th Ave., Durango on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m., with interment to follow at Greenmount Cemetery. A reception will follow services at the Sacred Heart Church Hall.
Criselia was born in Monero, NM to Presentacion F. and Guadalupe Garcia on May 23, 1922. She moved to Durango in 1937 and married Jose Cruz Valdez in 1938. Together they had a family of 8 children, the marriage ended in 1963. She later met Joe A. Lobato and married him in 1964 in Blanding, UT. They moved to Aztec, NM in the early 1990’s. After Joe died, Criselia moved to Farmington, NM in 2008 to live with granddaughter, Criselia Samora and her family. She finally moved in with her son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Helen Valdez, in Arizona in 2013.
She was avid reader and her favorite author was Louis L’Amour. She also enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and word finds, before she lost her sight to macular degeneration.
She was preceded in death by 2 infants, her husband Joe (1995) and her adult son, Sonny Valdez (2013).
Criselia Lobato is survived by her daughters; Sally (Frank) Montoya of Durango, CO, Gloria Martinez of Farmington, NM, Frances Aragon of Murray, UT; her sons; Joe (Helen) Valdez of Gilbert, AZ, Rick Valdez of Aztec, NM; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; a brother, Pres Garcia and numerous nieces and nephews.