Biographies/People (86)
Patricia Trujillo Oviedo of Centinela/Chimayo New Mexico
Contributed by Maria Montez-Skolnik
Patricia was born in Los Alamos on November 8, 1949. Her parents worked and lived in Los Alamos during the week and on weekends the family would go to their house in Chimayo to work on the farm/ranch at La Centinela near Chimayo, where they raised animals and crops. Her father was also a well known master weaver. Patricia graduated from Los Alamos High in 1967. She attended NMSU, receiving a BS degree in Agricultural Biology. She later attended Utah State receiving an MS degree in Biology-Microbial Ecology. She returned to Las Cruces and worked at NMSU as a research specialist in an animal nutrition toxicology lab, completing an MS in Animal Science/Toxicology in 1984. In 1985 Patricia and her husband, Marco Oviedo, moved to Chimayo where they started the family business. She worked concurrently for the New Mexico Department of Transportation as an Environmentalist/Public Involvement Coordinator until 1990, then briefly as the Department’s Public Affairs Director. In 1991, she transferred to Los Alamos National Laboratory where she was a Technical Staff member and worked in the Environmental Restoration Program as a Community Relations Specialist. In 1995, Patricia "retired” from the Lab to work in the family business full time. She is the manager of three distinct businesses:
Her husband’s woodcarving and bronze sculpture gallery and foundry;
a breeding farm of heritage breeds of donkeys, horses and sheep, sold around the country, some used in movies; and a guest inn.
Her job title is “Jenny of all Trades” and duties include bookkeeper, gallery operator, guest inn owner and manager, horse-donkey-mule trainer, sheep wrestler, cow liberator, truck driver, santo painter, trail ride director, manure mover, cat broker, and social director…to name a few. Working in her own business has given Patricia the flexibility to engage in other activities which includes leading Donkey Trail rides under the name of “Paseo de la Tierra Vieja” through the foothills in Chimayo, describing the history and pointing out various historic and archeological landmarks of interest to those on the ride. She is an official tour guide at El Santuario de Chimayo and for other historic churches in the surrounding area, and has written a pictorial history book on Chimayo, published in 2012. Patricia is a former board member of the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association, and is currently Chairperson of the Chimayo Association of Businesses and of both Holy Family Parish Finance Council and the El Santuario de Chimayo Advisory Board. She is a member of the Chimayo Community Planning Organization.
We are proud that Patricia is a Voz.
(Please register on this site to post and comment)
Having recently returned home from Northern New Mexico; I went to funeral services for a long time friend of mine, A fellow veteran. One of the prayer cards that was being given out had the following, so today I thought I would share it...,
The Soldier stood and faced our Lord, Which must always come to pass. He hoped his shoes were shining just as brightly as his brass."step forward now, soldier, How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?" No Lord, I guess I have not. Because those of us who carry guns can't always be a saint. I've had to work most sundays, and at times my talk was tough; and sometimes I've been violent because the world is rough.
Though I worked a lot of overtime, When the bills got just too steep and I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear... and sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears. I know I don't deserve a place among the people here. They never wanted me around, except to calm their fears. If you have a place for me here, Lord it needn't be so grand. I never expected or had too much, But if you don't I'll understand. There was a silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod. As the soldier waited patiently, for the judgement of God. Step forward soldier you've borne your burdens well. Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, You've done your time in Hell. ........... AUTHOR UNKNOWN ..........
The Navajo Code Talkers - 1942 - 1945 By Major Paul L. Stokes, USMC, Retired
Contributed by Mike LordMore...
My friend in Santa Fe sent me the following, which was written by Capt. Steven R. Ellison, M.D. US Army and in honor of Memorial Day I share it with you.
I am a doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One-Trauma Centers, both in San Antonio, TX and they care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel. As a military doctor, I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay,only more work. Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash. Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience, I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what citizens of this age group represented. I saw "Saving Private Ryan." I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept., and had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless. Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without the inquiry I have been privileged to an amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept. encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital. There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic, trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said, "Auschwitz.." Also, there was this long retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he lived alone. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to call his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi and pay for it ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and I couldn't drive him myself. I was there the night M/Sgt. Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. for the last time. He was very sick. I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later. The gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders, the survivor of the Bataan Death March, The former POW held in frozen North Korea. I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am more aware of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women. It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Thier response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation.