Delfinia Luna

Delfinia Luna-Mom, Grandma and Nana Delfinia Luna, was born on November 23,1929. Tata, Federico Luna and Grandma Maria Reyes welcomed their first daughter after five sons, Mateo Luna, Antonio Luna Melcor Luna, Andelecio Luna and Gabriel Luna. Four years after Delfinia, her sister Canda was born followed by the youngest of eight children, Mollie.

They all grew up on a ranch outside of Willard in an area known as Progresso. The ranch was about 1500 acres with lease land from the federal government. Tata and family lived off the land and first raised sheep and later he raised cattle. Their ranch was close to Tata’s parent’s, Mateo Luna, who to the family, is known as Mi Luna, and Pablita Luna. There were other ranches owned by other relatives surrounding them like the Velasquez’s where Delfinia said she spent a lot of time with the Velasquez daughters. Delfinia loved growing up on the ranch. She said those were the happiest times of her life. She was somewhat of a tomboy and spent time on horseback checking on sheep or just for the joy of riding horseback. Sometimes she would saddle up a horse and ride into Willard which was a 5-mile ride across the salt lakes. One of the main reasons for her going into town was to hopefully see the love of her life, Alfredo Jaramillo. They would later wed and would have 5 children, Isabel, Gloria, Linda, Alfredo Jr. and Lonnie.

Delfinia and her siblings went to school in Willard. She did well in school, she was smart and excelled in her studies but also had fun with her best friend Maria Maes. They were somewhat tough girls that didn’t back down from any fight, and both would tell their stories of the fights they would have back in the day. No harm done. Just the usual, I’ll meet you out back at the end of school. For being a tomboy at the ranch and a tough girl at school, Delfinia had another side to her. She was beautiful and very fashionable. She was asked at one time by someone who was taking pictures in Willard if she would consider being a model. But again, that would mean leaving the love of her life Alfredo Jaramillo. She was sure of herself but not conceited.

She was a determined, strong willed, independent woman. She was a stay-at-home Mom for many years but then begin working at different jobs to make extra money for her family. Fowler and Utha Bell Mourfield who owned the local grocery and mercantile store and ran the post office saw her potential and asked if she would consider working for them in the post office. This set the stage for her assuming the role of Postmaster for the Willard Post Office. She worked for the US Postal Service for 25 years and retired at the age of 62.

She was a taskmaster when it came to her children but worked right along them in always completing what she set out to do. She tried to instill in her children perseverance in the face of all challenges that come your way. Even though there was not a whole lot of time for big displays of affection, her children knew that she would always come to their defense when needed and would fiercely defend them.

She liked growing flowers and trees which complimented her husband, Freddie’s insistence of keeping a clean and organized yard. She liked watching the different birds that gathered in her yard. Her favorite bird was the hawk. All her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will remember her calling their attention to the hawks she would spot everywhere she went.

A hawk symbolizes keen vision, superior focus and spiritual awareness, often acting as a messenger that encourages rising above life’s challenges to gain a broader perspective. These birds represent strength and courage and swift action, serving as protectors. These are all attributes associated with Delfinia Luna. Delfinia was the last one standing in the Federico and Maria Reyes Luna family.

She has 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren. Her love of her life Alfredo Jaramillo, son Lonnie Jaramillo, her consentido, daughter in law Sarah Jaramillo, son in law Frank Santos, son in law Ray Clark, son in law Fito Padilla, grandson, Adam Jaramillo, granddaughter Rebecca Jaramillo and great-grandson Jacob Jaramillo, have left this world before her. They along with her father Federico Luna, her mother Maria Reyes Luna and all her brothers and sisters and their wives and husbands with the exception of her brother-in-law Bobbie Chavez will all be waiting to greet her when she enters the promised land called heaven. She was married to Howard Graham who also passed on.

Delfinia prayed all day long for family and those she held dear to her heart. She went to church faithfully until she was unable to and then watched the mass every day with her cafesito and cinnamon roll. She lived a strong and determined life and withstood the trials of life with courage.

Delfinia’s simple words of wisdom to those of us left behind is to love one another, try to get along and excel in all that you set out to do in this world.

May Delfinia Luna, Mom, Grandma, and Nana, rest in love and peace with our Lord.

A Rosary will be held Sat. Feb 21, 2026 @ 10:00am, followed by the Mass at 11:00 am both at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Willard, NM.  After the Burial at the El Rosario Cemetery there will be a reception at the Willard Community Center.