Eduardo "Eddy" DeAnda

Eduardo “Eddy” DeAnda, age 79, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle passed away Friday, June 24. He was born on March 11, 1932 in Los Lunas, NM. Eddy was a member of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church and served as an usher and money counter for many years. He always had a smiling face, open arms, and a friendly handshake. He had a beautiful voice and enjoyed acting and singing in the Pastorelas annually for several years. A lover of sports, he played center for the Los Lunas tigers in high school and loved the Dallas Cowboys. He voluntarily prepared income taxes for AARP and any family or friends in need. He worked for First National Bank of Belen for 30 years working up from a teller to district manager to loan officer and was one of the first people to learn and supervise the ATM systems. He was a dedicated family man always putting family first. He didn’t have a selfish bone in his body literally giving the shirt off his back to anyone in need. Super friendly and social, he spoke to everyone, no one was a stranger. Eddy and Jenny were always the best dancers in the room and enjoyed travel and went on many cruises, road trips, and especially loved visiting Jennifer and Ken in New Jersey. They traveled to New Jersey every year for 25 years and enjoyed New England, Cape Cod, New York, Philadelphia, and he especially loved Baltimore and the crab cakes. He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Leonard; parents, Jose Dolores and Concepcion Montes DeAnda; brother, Lorenzo; sisters, Julia DeAnda, and Mattie Williams;˜ father and mother-in-law, Presciliano “Buddy” and Elena Gabaldon Sanchez; sister-in-laws, Erlinda “Early” Garcia and Mary Tabet Sanchez; and brother-in-laws, Tranquilino “Kilo” Sanchez and Eduardo “Lalo” Lopez. Eddy is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Juanita “Jenny” Sanchez DeAnda; devoted daughter, Jennifer Leight and husband, Ken; daughter-in-law, Cynthia DeAnda; and cherished grandson, Steven. He is also survived by a brother, sisters, nieces and nephews. ˜All services will be held at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church beginning with a Visitation at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29 with a Rosary to be recited at 11:30 a.m. and a Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 12:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens. Honorary Urnbearers will be Kenneth Leight and Steven Lee DeAnda.

Eduardo "Eddy" DeAnda

June 25, 2011