Cipriano “Cippy” Richard Lovato April 7, 1949 ~ August 21, 2021 (age 72)

Obituary

The Mass of the Resurrection for Cipriano “Cippy” Lovato, 72, of Portales will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Thurs., Aug. 26, 2021 at St. Helen Catholic Church by Fr. Francisco Carbajal.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Ricky Lovato, Jr., Brandon Lovato, Randy Lovato, Marc Lovato, Cipriano Lovato, Jr. and Jesse Lovato serving as pallbearers.  All of his family members and many friends will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Cipriano Richard Lovato, known to everyone as “Cippy,” was born April 7, 1949 in Portales, NM to the home of Rita (Saiz) and Delfino Lovato, and died August 21, 2021 in Albuquerque, NM.  Mr. Lovato was the youngest of nine children, having four sisters and four brothers.  On Sept. 1, 1967, he was married to Anita Jaquez.  They had three children, two sons and a daughter.  Mr. Lovato was employed by Southwest Canners as a truck driver from 1973 until 1990, when he established C&A Trucking, and became self employed.  After 13 years, he went to work for the New Mexico Department of Transportation.  At the time of his death he held the position of Supervisor.  Mr. Lovato enjoyed playing horseshoes, cornhole, and shooting pool.  His family was very important to him, and he loved family get-togethers and Bar-B-Ques , and boy did he love to dance!  His smile was contagious and his love of life was the greatest and ever present – he truly lit up every room or yard he joined. He will be truly missed..

He is survived by Anita, his wife of nearly 54 years of their home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Cipriano Richard Lovato, Jr. and wife Michele Marie (Fox) of Seattle, WA and Ricky Lovato and wife, Renee (Fulton) of Portales; a daughter and son-in-law, Desiree Denise (Lovato) Vasquez and husband, Michael of Arlington, TX; ten grandchildren, Cipriano Richard Lovato III, Jesse Delfino Lovato, Ricky Joe Lovato, Jr. and wife, Jessica (Epps), Amanda Rachel Lovato, Brandon Rae Lovato and wife, Shereya (Cox), Randy James Lovato, Sarah Renee Lovato, Marc Andrew Lovato and wife, Kinsey (Bilberry), Haley Faith Lovato and Andrea Carmen Lovato-Vasquez; three great-grandchildren, Ricky Daniel Lovato, Keith Christopher Washington and Journee Kay Washington; a brother, Franky Lovato of VA; and four sisters, Vitalia Garcia of Portales, Patricia Smeal of Portales, Felis Gabel of Wildorado, TX and Grace Peterson of Vega, TX.  He was preceded in death by both of his parents and three brothers, Delfino, Jr. who died as an infant and Chris and Paul Lovato.