Lillie Frances Barreras, age 86, died on Monday, June 14, 2021 in Clayton, New Mexico.

Rosary will be recited at 9:30 AM on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 AM at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Clayton, New Mexico with Fr. Jason Pettigrew as celebrant. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Home of Clayton, New Mexico.

Lillie Frances Barreras

Born: October 30, 1934, in the town of Clayton, NM.

She is the daughter of Jose & Carlota Gonzales and Stepfather Mathias Padilla

She is preceded in death by her husband Melvin Barreras, her precious & loving daughter Darlene Ortiz-Martinez, mother Carlota Gonzales-Padilla, father Jose Gonzales, stepfather Mathias Padilla, brother Joe Gonzales, brother Sammy Gonzales, sister Della Elkins & husband Elmer, sister Delores Yoder & husband Jim, sister Anita Archuleta & husband Manuel, brother-in law Joe Escobedo. Her granddaughter angel Erica Danielle Barreras & grandson Baby Danny Ortiz, great granddaughter angel Everleigh Danielle Barreras.

She is survived by her children Melvin Barreras, Michael Barreras, David Barreras & wife Scarlot and Carlota Ulibarri & husband Matthew.

Her grandchildren Vera Dawn Ortiz, Brandi Ortiz, Mark Barreras & wife Kayla and Domionna Ulibarri.

Her great-grandchildren Sierra, Aubrey, and Jasmine Sandoval. One baby on the way David Mark Barreras III.

Her Brother LeoRay Gonzales and his sweet wife Lupe, her sister Gina Escobedo and sister-in law Helen Gonzales, brother-in law Martin Barreras & wife Teresa, sister-in-law Frances Barreras-Garcia & husband Pat.

The Family would be remiss if we did not mention Joann Justiniano & her husband Nestor and their family.

Many nieces, nephews and godchildren from the Gonzales & Barreras families.

Lillie was a former member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She believed in this Country and the men & women who served. She was immensely proud to have been married to a decorated soldier, a former Army Corporal, deployed to Korea who was part of Task Force Smith.  Her son David is a retired Army First Sergeant. Her grandson Mark is currently serving as Army Captain, who is a Congressional Fellow and now serves as a Military Liaison to a Representative of Congress.   She was proud of her son Michael who is to be the recipient of the St. Francis of Assisi Award which is given to those faithful in the church. He will be invited to the Cathedral in Santa Fe to accept the award.

Lillie was also a former member of the St. Francis Xavier Ladies Alter Society.   Her servitude to St. Frances Xavier Church was her way of giving back.

She was Baptized, received her First Holy Communion, Confirmation, was married and now will be laid to rest by the Church that she loved so much.

She was an activist of her time. She tells a story of going to a Town Meeting where she was pleading her case to the trustees and the mayor to put fire hydrants in the part of town where she grew up, better known as Chihuahua.   She was feeling feisty that day and would not take no for an answer. Consequently, they asked her to leave and come back when she could be a "lady".   She had some choice words and she went back the next month, with neighbors at her side, to plead their case. A few months later they installed fire hydrants.   That was the type of woman Lillie was!!!

Her children would say that their mother was a renaissance woman. Growing up in the 30's and 40s she had many tales about her life on her grandfather & grandmother, Bonifacio & Eloisa Garcia's ranches in Union County. To the surprise of her kids, she rode horses, branded, worked hard and learned how to shoe horses. She was a regular ranch hand.   She loved reading comic books as a child, she had so many extraordinary stories about her childhood and her life. We can honor her by keeping those stories alive. Lillie was a hard worker providing for her children. She taught them to have a good work ethic, to be honest and serve to God.   She cooked in every restaurant in Clayton. Some of you worked with her. Some say she was tough but fair. She found the job she enjoyed the most; working at the Courthouse. She retired from there when she was 65. She did not have an easy life, but she was always optimistic. What got her through the hard times was her faith in God. She was a prayer warrior. Her faith was so strong even when people around her were weary, tired, scared and running out of faith. Those who sought her out and needed to talk never left that conversation without feeling better and receiving the encouragement they so desperately needed. One thing Lillie lived for was her Children and Grandchildren. God and Family were at the center of her life and so important to her. She was the last historian in our family, all the stories that she told will remain alive by us continuing to tell them.

MEMORIALS: The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to either the Baylor Scott and White Central Texas Foundation or to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention .