Delia Maritza Carvalho

1953-2017 Delia "Mary" Carvalho, age 64, a resident of Belen, NM, passed away on May 11, 2017. She was born on May 2, 1953 to Jaime and Juanita Henriquez of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Being the daughter of a military man, Mary was fortunate to have lived in France as well as many states including Virginia, Kentucky and California. She graduated in 1971 from Seaside High School near Fort Ord in California. She attended Monterey Peninsula College where she met the love of her life, Manuel Carvalho. On July 13, 1972, Mary and Manuel married in Reno, Nevada. They lived in Seaside until Manny joined the Army and was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington. There, she became a medical assistant at a local hospital. After Manny was honorably discharged in 1975, they moved to Salinas, California and started a family. Their first son, Manny, was born in 1978 and Tony came soon after in 1979. Mary struggled with many health issues; however, she managed to raise their sons and go back to school. In 1995, Mary graduated from Hartnell College with a degree in nursing. As a registered nurse, Mary worked at Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, in both the emergency room and labor and delivery. When Manny retired in 2007, they decided to move to Belen, where the climate was better for Mary's rheumatoid arthritis. Mary worked at UNM Hospital in the neonatal care unit where she served as a lactation consultant. However, in 2012, Mary had to give up her career because of health reasons. Mary loved her family, friends, the patients she cared for over the years, and gardening. She was a devout Catholic and was a member of the Catholic Daughters. With the voice of an angel, Mary sang in the Our Lady of Belen Choir, Spanish Choir, and La Gran Pastorela. She even sang for Pope John Paul II in Leguna Seca, Monterey. She was a wonderful, kind woman, with a great laugh and a big heart. She will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Mary is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her loving husband of 44 years, Manuel; sons, Manuel and Antonio Carvalho (Valerie); grandchildren, Angeline, Antonio, Patricia, and Alexander Carvalho; brothers, Jaime Henriquez (Debbie), Angel "Tito" Martino, and Jingo Lozada; sisters, Monsie Lozada Woehler and Carmen Lozada; brothers-in-law, Lawrence Carvalho (Barbara), Steven Carvalho (Wendy), and Michael Carvalho (Brenda); sisters-in-law Dancet Carvalho, Irma Carvalho, Joanne Morales (Art), and Mary Ann Morbito (Joe). All services will be held on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church in Belen, NM. A Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m., with a Rosary to be recited at 11:30 a.m., and a Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 12:00 p.m. Please sign Delia’s online tribute at www.romerofuneralhomenm.com Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St. Belen, NM.

Delia Maritza Carvalho

May 2, 1953 - May 11, 2017