Raeann Najera

Rae Ann Najera, 62, passed away on September 30, 2009, at Hospice Care of Boulder County after complications from progressive dementia.Rae Ann was born on October 6, 1946 in Alamosa, Colorado. She was the oldest of Ray and Edna Martin's three children. She was a longtime resident of Longmont and Estes Park.After high school, Rae Ann graduated from Western State College in 1970 with a degree in Speech/Drama/English. She continued her schooling at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She earned her nursing degree in 1978. She met and married Casey Najera in 1971. They later divorced in 1981. In 1979 she began her nursing career at Longmont United Hospital where she worked until her retirement in 2007. During her years at Longmont United, she worked in various departments offering consistently quality care to her patients. She worked as a staff nurse, unit manager, mentor and educator during her 28 years there. Rae Ann was passionate about nursing and believed that her early childhood years, which were marked by many illnesses, guided her to a career in nursing. She will be remembered as a smart, caring and talented nurse. She was a mentor to many new nurses and greatly enjoyed the opportunity to educate others. Rae Ann was an avid bridge player and a voracious reader. She enjoyed cooking and hosting get-togethers at her home. She is survived by her only daughter, Leora Najera of Longmont, and Leora's husband, Warren Anderson, Jr. She is also survived by her brother James Martin and his wife, Joanne, also of Longmont.She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Lorraine Woolever.Cremation has been entrusted to Howe Mortuary and Cremation Services, Longmont.A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at the Howe Mortuary Chapel with Chaplain Mary Dobbs officiating.Donations in her memory may be made to: HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Lafayette, CO 80026 or The UNC Foundation(For Benefit of Nursing Scholarships in Memory of Rae Ann Najera) c/o the Judy Farr Center, Campus Box 20, Greeley, CO 80639