The Rosary for Francisco A. Chavez Baca, 80, of Portales will be recited at 9:00 A.M., Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at St. Helen Catholic Church. The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. by Fr. Francisco Carbajal. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Manuel A. Flores, Macario Quintana, Indalecio Cano, Efrain Quezada, Larry Marquez, Angel Camacho, Antonio Salas and Samuel Solis serving as pallbearers.
Francisco Antonio Chavez Baca was born February 17, 1941, in San Jose del Sitio, Chihuahua, Mexico to the home of Maria Petra (Baca) and Francisco A. Chavez Marinelarena and died at his home in Portales on the afternoon of November 24, 2021. While he was a young boy, Prieto, as he was known to his family, loved to tease his brothers. Growing up he worked in agriculture and on the ranch. He loved to race horses while he lived in Mexico. Mr. Chavez came to the United States in 1973. He first worked in construction in Cloudcroft and Waterfall, NM before coming to the Dora community to work for Frank and Mary Brown on their dairy. Mr. Chavez worked there for 20 years, raising his family and becoming connected in the family and the community. After leaving Dora, he worked on the J-Lu Dairy in Portales until 2012 when he retired.
Mr. Chavez had land south of Portales where he enjoyed raising a variety of farm animals and farming. He preferred walking to driving, and consequently walked most everywhere he went. Besides his animals and farming, he liked to watch boxing matches, particularly when Julio César Chavez was fighting. He also liked to watch Mexican teams play soccer. He frequently bought lottery tickets, and watched old Spanish western movies. He also loved watching his grandchildren play sports. He was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church.
He is survived by Maria, his wife of 48 years of their home; two daughters and a son-in-law, Marisol and Larry Marquez of Amarillo, TX and Lizeth Chavez of Portales; five grandchildren, Ariel Marquez, Anthony Marquez, Mireya Baltazar, Francisco A. Chavez and Olivia Lozano and one great-grandchild, Renesmee Baltazar. Also survived by his sisters, Maria del Rosario Marinelarena, Maria Petra Balderrama, and Martha Alicia Chavez all of Mexico.
Mr. Chavez is preceded in death by his brothers, Manuel Atocha Chavez and Hector Manuel Chavez and both of his parents.
Services under the direction of Wheeler Mortuary of Portales, Inc., 500 E. Third St., Portales, NM 88130, wheelermortuary.net
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