Arabella Montoya

ARABELLA LUCILLE MONTOYA          

Arabella L. Montoya, 91, was called home to be with our Heavenly Father on February 18, 2024.    She was a native New Mexican, born September 7, 1932, in Lucero, New Mexico to Pedro E. Montoya and Maria L. Montoya, who preceded her in death, together with brothers Ferdinando, Laudente, Lee, Dennis, Eralia “Emily” Nye, and Luis Armando.  She was also preceded in death by sisters in law Katherine E. Montoya, Maria Montoya and Odelia Montoya, brother in law Kenneth Nye and by an aunt who was raised as a sister, Sencionita Montoya.  She was also preceded in death by her beloved niece Mary Ann C. Roberts, her beloved niece Yolanda Guerrero, her beloved nephew Bradley Nye, nephew-in-law Mario Hernandez, and Arabella’s beloved cat, “Hito.”

She was fondly known to her family and loved ones as “Bella”, “Aunt Bella” and “Auntie Bella.” She worked for a brief period at Newberry’s Department Store in Las Vegas, New Mexico, before moving to Albuquerque in the early 1960s, where she became a long-time employee of Montgomery Wards Department store at Winrock Center.  She retired from the position of Stock Control Manager at Montgomery Wards in the late 1970s.

Arabella is survived by nephew Dennis W. Montoya and his wife, Jean, nephew Marcelo L. Montoya and his wife Laura, niece Lorraine Armijo and her husband Andrew, nephew Herman Montoya and his wife Thomasine, niece Geraldine Hernandez , nephew Laudente Montoya, Junior,  niece Barbara Cofferen and husband Mike, niece Lydia Valdez and husband Ricardo, nephews Albert Montoya and his wife, Michelle, nephew Robert Montoya and wife Ana, niece Debby Waite, niece Linda Gardner,  nephew Tom Nye and his wife Cheryl,  nephew Tim Nye and his wife Laura, nieces Rita Montoya and Lisa Montoya, sister-in-law Rosie Montoya and beloved friend Mavis Johnson.

She is also survived by numerous great nephews and nieces, including Stephanie Juana Maria and Katherine Rosa Maria Montoya, Chrissie M. Rodriguez Adebayo, Marcella Denise Montoya, Stephanie Katherine Montoya, Darin and Damian Roberts, Angelo and Christopher Lopez,  Virgil Gil, Alexandra and Ashley Armijo, Nicholas and Rafael Montoya, Eric and Mario Hernandez, Gabriel Guerrero, Mirinda Kelly, Laudy Montoya, Jr., Nikky Montoya, Joseph Montoya, Natalie Montoya, Nadia Montoya, Gabriela Almanza and Armando Almanza, Micky Waite, Chase Waite, Luke Waite, Lucas Waite, Tonya Smith, Jenny Prentice, Bailey Nye, Gabriel Nye, Sara Nye, Christine Simoes and Michelle Blackmon.

Arabella also had numerous great-great nephews and nieces and many, many friends and extended family.   Arabella was a lifelong Catholic and was a parishioner of Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church in Albuquerque.

Arabella is fondly remembered for her sense of humor and dedication to family and friends, as well as her professionalism as a retail store supervisor.  Arabella loved gardening, attending softball games, traveling with her senior group on field trips, feeding birds in her yard, and decorating for the holidays.  She was very involved in the upbringing of a large number of her nieces and nephews, and she is fondly remembered as a “fun” aunt.  Bella never married and had no children of her own, but she was like a second mother to many of us.  She will never be forgotten so long as we live.

A graveside service for Arabella will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024 at the hour of 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the compassionate professionals at