Flora age 49, passed away Wednesday, December 08, 1943, at her home in El Macho NM, of natural causes surrounded by her family. She was born on April 14, 1894, the eldest child of Romolo Roybal and Andreitta Lucero Roybal. She was born, raised and died in El Macho.
Flora passed away just 6 months after her mother passed away. Preceded in death by her parents, her infant son Manuel. Her infant brother and sister, Antonio, and Maria. Her in-laws Bartolome and Eleuteria Vigil.
She married her husband Antonio in 1910 at the early age of sixteen. The same year her youngest sister Frances was born. She is survived by her husband of 33 years, Antonio A. Vigil. Sons Andres and Ramon, Daughters Natalia/Norberto Herrera from Santa Fe, NM, Cecilia and Eleuteria Vigil of the family home. Her brothers David/Lourdes Roybal, Herculano/Marie Roybal, Sisters Mercedes/Eusebio Gabaldon, Nemesia/Jose Sandoval, Isabel/Eusebio Sandoval, Benigna/Reymundo Sandoval, and Frances/Leo Eigner. Two grandchildren Dolores and Isidro Herrera.
A quiet woman, strong, hardworking devoted Catholic. Flora and her family survived and lived off the land, wood and the logs and lumber used to build her home and a log cabin were cut and taken from the surrounding mountains on their property, they were farmers and ranchers that grew their own crops, cared for the land, the orchard, and animals, they raised chickens, cattle, pigs, goats, and horses. Flora was a diligent woman she was early to bed and early to rise. A strong woman she loves, forgives, walks away, let's go, tries again, and perseveres—no matter what life throws at her."
This proofed to be the case more so during the absence of Antonio when he went away from home to work at Terrero when the mines were in operation. Together with the help of her children, her mother and father Flora took over the planting and caring of the crops in the fields, she fed and tended to her children, home, and the animals. To prepare for the long hard winters in the Pecos Canyon and to feed her family, she harvested from the land, prepared jelly and jarred fruit and vegetables. when an animal was slaughtered, she also jarred meats. The jars were then stored on the shelves in the family cellar. Throughout the harvest times, her family would go to Pecos, trade fruits and vegetables for other crops and household items, needed to survive the winter. The water used for irrigating, cooking and washing was piped up to the house in the spring and summer from the creek behind the family home, in the winter it was hauled from the river.
When she did sit perhaps on her porch to watch her children play or have visitors over, she was always working as times were hard there was never time to be idle. She was always busy with some tasks, whether mending, sewing, preparing a meal, or washing clothes in a basin with a wash board. She was unstoppable, not because she did not have failures or doubt, but because she continued on despite them. Suffering from a heart condition and severe arthritis, sadly she passed away surrounded by her husband and daughters at her home in El Macho on Wednesday, December 08, 1943 at the young age of 49. She was a hardworking, God Fearing, patient women. The only time she rested was when she attended mass at the Macho Church, slept, bedridden from her illness and now for her eternal rest.
With World War II going on in Europe and with her sons gone overseas fighting the war, only a few close neighbors remained in Macho most of these were elders as most young men were gone serving their country, it was a hard winter, snow was on the ground the ground remained frozen all along the Pecos Canyon. Passage to the canyon would be difficult for the priest, family and friends to attend services at the Macho Church or burial at its cemetery. Due to all these conditions, the family made the hard decision to be closer to family and friends during this difficult time, that the funeral services would be held in Pecos. The Mass of Christian burial was held at St. Anthony's Church in Pecos with the burial at the Pecos Cemetery.
It was with great sadness that about a week after her burial, Andres her son, returned from overseas on furlough he never received notice of his mother passing as he was aboard a ship on his way home at the time of her passing. He was made aware of her passing when he arrived via bus to Pecos and was told by a relative that she had passed away and the burial had taken place. In total disbelieve and grief he walked the 8 miles home to find that the news was in fact true. His sisters informed him that when Mother as she was called was on her death bed she prayed that our Lord would take her and spare her sons, her prayers were answered as both sons returned home after the war was over. Flora was a faithful servant of our Lord; her strength and selflessness were instilled in her by her Love of the Lord and love for her family.

God saw her getting tired, a cure was not to be.
He wrapped her in his loving arms.
And whispered, "Come with me."
She suffered much in silence; her spirit did not bend.
She faced her pain with courage, until the very end.
She tried so hard to stay with us.
But her fight was not in vain,
God took her to His loving home.
And freed her from the pain.

Grandma I wish I would have personally known you, what I know of you is what my dad, aunts and relatives have told me. Often times when I am sitting on the porch of the log cabin I picture you with me I envision you smiling and at peace. Saddened to know you never knew the rest of your 21 grandchildren.