Cleotilde Taggart

Cleotilde Taggart: November 3, 1920-October 21, 2008

Cleotilde (Ortiz) Taggart, age 87, passed away peacefully October 21, 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Cleo was born in Nambe, New Mexico, the third of eight children to Celestino Ortiz and Adelaida Ortiz. She spent her youth in Northern New Mexico before moving with her family to Jerome, Arizona and later to Northern California.

In 1943, Cleo enlisted in the United States Womens Army Corps and served with Allied Occupation Forces in Berlin, Germany during WWII. After discharge in 1946, Cleo began her career as a Licensed Professional Nurse in Fairfield, California. During this same period, she met Alan Taggart and they were married in Salt Lake City in 1948. Together they enjoyed 60 years of marriage raising two daughters, Theresa and Laura.

Alan and Cleo moved to live in Santa Rosa, California in the early 50s where Cleo was hired by the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. She served as a pediatric nurse until her retirement in the 1980s. She was known for her compassion and special skills with the young patients.

Throughout her life, Cleo was a free and joyful spirit who enjoyed dancing and singing. She was a member of the Catholic Church and sang in the church choir. Later in life, Cleo experimented with fabric art, designing colorful pillows and collages for her family. She was a devoted, loving wife and mother and will be remembered by family and friends for her kind, positive nature and unique personality.

Cleo was preceded in death by her husband, Alan Taggart; her parents Celestino and Adelaida Ortiz; brothers Rafael, Abel, Edumenio and Desederio (Dick) Ortiz; brother-in-law, David Smart; and sister-in-law Emelina Ortiz. She is survived by her daughters Theresa Taggart and husband Michael OConnell (Taos, NM), Laura Taggart (Phoenix, AZ); sisters Eleanor Smart (Reno, NV), Annabelle and husband Richard Holly (Reno, NV); brother, Ben Ortiz (Reno, NV); sister-in-law Nita Ortiz (Junction City, OR); 12 nieces and nephews; several great nieces and nephews and their families.

Memorial services will be held on Friday, November 7 at 10:30 AM at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Nambe followed by a reception at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Hall in Pojoaque. Internment is scheduled for 2:30 PM the same afternoon at the Veterans National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM.


The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, a donation in Cleos memory be made to:
Our Lady of Guadalupe Valley of Pojoaque Parish
9 Grazing Elk Drive
P.O. Box 3469
Santa Fe, NM 87501