Marie Sara Rivera

Marie Sarah Lujan (Rivera) was born on May 30th, 1936 and entered Heaven on February 27th, 2024. 

Marie (Sarah) was born to Magdalena (Lena) Cordova (1906-1910) and Jose Ignacio Lujan (1889) in Roy, 

New Mexico. Marie was born of Native American descent from the Apache Tribe hailing out of New Mexico mixed with some Basque Spanish descent and with these to fierce bloodlines, she had the temper and fire to melt the world around her and will be stronger in Death, than in Life. She had Patricia Theresa Wiles born in Roy, New Mexico, Yolanda Gonzalez (Mora) born in Seattle, Washington and Maria Magdalena Rivera born in Fontana, California. These 3 daughters gifted her with grandchildren twins, Mikey and Chris Wiles, Ralphie Montecino, Kendo Mora, Koga Mora, Sebastian Rivera-Bowden and Joseph Loyd. Among these she was also blessed with 6 Great Grandchildren: Kyiel, Daniel, Emma, Ezra, Sky, Lennox. Growing up in New Mexico, she lost her mother at an extremely young age, and Marie loved being raised by her grandmother, Rufina Perea, who taught her the ways of the Curandera. Rufina along with Marie also helped raise her 5 brothers by the side of their Father. With so much male influence around her, Marie became a local boxer, who was a vicious fighter and did not back down or lose her battles. She carried that raw feistiness until the very end - Going out on her terms as she damn well pleased, leaving our family shocked. She moved to Southern California where she met Jose Rivera, and they were married in 1975. When these 2 married she was blessed with 9 more stepchildren; Johnny Joe, Sharon, Freddie, Jan, Larry, Rita, Julie, Sara and Josephine, along with many more grandchildren and great grandchildren - A beautifully chaotic mixed family. She worked at Prowler in Southern California for many years before Jose and she moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico where Jose worked as a civilian Meteorologist Technician at White Sands Missile Range and later transferred to Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Marie found her niche here working at a family-owned chain of Pawn Stores where she became part of their family, also transferring from Las Cruces to Alamogordo and back again. Marie found good friends through her co-workers, spending many family outings together with them along with some special dedicated customers who she also had made bonds with. She was an amazing Mother and Grandmother, helping raise some of her own grandchildren but with a much softer touch and gentler love, than she bestowed upon her own children. She loved her grandchildren with such ferocity that it left her own children wondering how she became soft-handed, where her grandbabies (even when they got older) could do no wrong. She leaves behind a Legacy of Native/Spanish ill-tempered children and grandchildren, who wilt conquer and love all those who they make contact with — That is who the Lujan/Rivera clan is. 

I see you; 

I hear you - Your galaxy has floated away - 

Remnants of your life, Sprinkle down upon us, 

An Angels distant memory - Flooding the beings below, 

Shrouded in your love... Yet, utterly lost in your Departure - Nothing will ever be the same. My Mom, My Heart, My first Everything — Magdalena Shalem.