Ida Martinez Archuleta
Wed, 01/06/2016 - 6:57pm
News Staff
Ida Archuleta, best known as Grandma Ida, passed away peacefully at her home on Jan. 2, 2016. Our Grandma Ida was everyone’s Grandma. Wherever she went, she was greeted with hearty hugs from everyone. She was a part of the fabric of Gunnison, woven through 86 plus years of sharing her boundless energy and wisdom with us all.
Grandma Ida was born in Milliken, Colo. in 1929. Her family moved to Pitkin when she was 10. Her father David Martinez worked for several local ranches. Her mother Maria Cleofes Dominguez Martinez raised Ida and her 12 siblings, including her sister Margie Jimenez, who survives Ida and lives in Olathe, Colo. Ida and her husband Ernie moved the family to Gunnison in 1966.
Ida was very proud of her family and was an amazing mother, wife, grandmother and aunt. With her departed husband Ernie, Grandma Ida raised seven children: Rita (Greg) Kirnie, Fruita; Don (Vikki) Archuleta, Pitkin/Gunnison; Gloria (Jim) Garver, Delta; Harold Archuleta, Pitkin; Barb (Tim) Wolters, Atwood, Kan.; and Kimberlee (George) Carrillo, Delta, Colo. She and Ernie also suffered the enormous loss of their third precious son, David “BooBoo” Archuleta, in 1978.
Ida had 17 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, all of whom had a special relationship with their Grammie Ida. Ida also helped raise some of her nieces and nephews, who also consider Ida to be their mother. Ida always remembered everyone’s birthday and made each person feel special with her personal cards, letters, phone calls and happy birthday wishes played on her harmonica.
Grandma Ida was utterly devoted to her Catholic faith, serving in every capacity at St. Peter’s Church for the last 48 years. She worked for 11-different priests. You could often find her at the Catholic Parish Hall arranging and serving community dinners, at the church making sure everything was prepared for Mass, or at the nursing home taking Communion to the Catholic residents and visiting with all. In 1998, Ida made a pilgrimage to the holy place of Medjugorje, Herzegovina where the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared on several occasions. Ida believed the Blessed Mother watched over her and all of her family; and she has.
Ida was a hard-working and caring woman. She worked for 20 years at Miller’s Furniture Store, as well as cleaning for many local residents and a couple of local businesses, as well as caring for the sick and disabled. Ida lived a very humble life and her thoughts were always about helping others but her work did not go unnoticed. Ida received numerous awards for her outstanding service to the community. Even in her final days, she was making sure others were being taken care of.
Grandma Ida was the most devoted fan of the Gunnison High School Cowboys, attending as many sports events as she could and she loved to sport her red and black. She had a dedicated seat in the GHS gym and made signs to cheer on her Cowboys. Each year the Archuleta family honors her with a scholarship for high school seniors who are active in sports and maintain good grades.
Our Grandma Ida, our matriarch, was a huge force in our lives. We loved her stories and poems she knew by heart, her jokes, and how she could pick up an instrument and play it by ear. Her beautiful spirit touched everyone that knew Ida. As her dear friend Steve Mills said, “She leaves an un-fillable void.” We will miss her spunk and wisdom. Ida has requested there be no flowers or services. The family will be honoring Grandma
Ida’s request to have a small Celebration of Life this summer. Contributions in her honor can be made to the Ida Archuleta Scholarship Fund at Gunnison Savings & Loan, or St. Peter’s Catholic Church, or by giving back to the community as Ida often did.
