Josephine Ortiz-Maes

Josephine Ortiz-Maes

February 6, 1947 - July 5, 2024

Josephine (Fita) Ortiz-Maes was born February 6, 1947, to Ignacio C. Ortiz and Arcenia Salcido-Ortiz. She was survived by sisters: Victoria, Cecilia, Olivia, Sophie, and brothers: Robert, Juan, Manuel, and Faustino. Shortly after graduating from Roswell High School, she married and moved to Denver, Colorado to start her own family. She lost her daughter Melanie to cancer in 2004 and is survived by daughter Angela and son Eloy J. Maes Jr., as well as 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. 

She had many jobs throughout her life, but the bulk of her employment was with Great Lakes Airlines at Denver International Airport. After retirement from the airport, she relocated back to Roswell and spent the past fifteen years working on her yard. Landscaping was her passion, and she loved the outdoors. She had a green thumb and could make anything grow. Many may remember her walking up and down main street, or on the public bus because she never drove in her 77 years of life, but she never stood still, she was always on the go. She loved playing hostess to barbecues and bonfires in her backyard. She loved to gamble, whether at a casino, a stack of scratchers, or one of her brother's football pools. She loved the Denver Broncos and Natural Light Beer. She passed early July 5, 2024, in the comfort of her own living room with her daughter and their five dogs by her side. Her presence in this world will be missed by all those who knew and loved her.

There will be no services held for Josephine at this time.