Ernestina Ortega Sizemore

She was born on January 24, 1943, in Roswell, New Mexico, to Danois and Ermenia Ortega.

When Tina started school, she spoke only Spanish. Despite that challenge, she excelled academically, graduated with honors, participated in Girls State, and earned a college scholarship. Girls State, however, was not among her favorite memories. As the only Hispanic participant, she felt like an outsider. Although she earned a scholarship to attend college, she chose a different path. Years later, when asked whether she regretted that decision, her answer was always no. At the time, the career options presented to her were nursing or teaching, and neither appealed to her.

Instead, she married Woodrow "Woody" Sizemore, and worked in a variety of clerical positions, including for several federal agencies, eventually becoming a land law examiner with the Bureau of Land Management. Tina also loved balancing a checkbook and keeping the books for her church. She may have missed her calling.

Tina appreciated order and tidiness. Her idea of a mess was folded laundry sitting on the chair in her bedroom.

After retiring, Tina and Woody moved back to Roswell, New Mexico. It was a move they didn't initially relish but one that proved to be among the best decisions they ever made. They became active in their church, developed a wonderful circle of friends, hosted Super Bowl parties, and even started enjoying wine-and-cheese nights—something they had never really done before. While their children and grandchildren didn't particularly enjoy making the trip to Roswell, it was a blessing to know they had those happy years together.

They were happy, but throughout much of her adult life Tina found herself in the role of caregiver. She helped care for her father, making regular trips from Las Cruces to Roswell before retiring early so she and Woody could move there during the final year of his life. She then cared for Woody through thyroid cancer, a heart attack, prostate cancer, and its recurrence, all while helping her mother through the health challenges she experienced during the last years of her life.

Eventually, Tina and Woody moved to Texas to be closer to family, though New Mexico always remained home.

Our family’s hope for Tina, who had been blessed with good health for most of her life, was that after years spent caring for everyone else, she would finally have time to simply enjoy retirement. Life had other plans.

Shortly after Woody's death, Tina was diagnosed with dementia. Over the next several years, our family experienced the heartbreak of losing her slowly.

As her dementia progressed, Tina often told her daughters she was leaving with her husband, ”Mr. Blue Eyes,” or that she was going back to Roswell with her mom and dad.

We love her, We miss her. We are thankful she is now exactly where she wanted to be.

Tina was preceded in death by her parents, Danois and Ermenia Ortega; her husband, Woodrow "Woody" Sizemore; and her beloved grandson, Aaron Serna.

She is survived by her daughters, Angela Serna (Tony) and Jennifer Sizemore; her grandchildren, Rebecca Serna (Mark) and David Serna (Beth); her great-granddaughter, Oakleigh; and extended family and friends who loved her.

She loved her grandchildren more than anything. She was living proof of the old saying that being a grandparent is even better than being a parent.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 29, at South Park Cemetery, General Douglas McBride Veteran's Cemetery, 3101 S. Main St., Roswell, NM 88203.

A Celebration of Life and fellowship luncheon will immediately follow at Trinidad Community Baptist Church, 1707 W. Juniper St., Roswell, NM 88203.