Mary Bledsoe

Mary Daley Bledsoe, 88, died Monday, January 18, at Poudre Valley Hospital. She was born October 15, 1921, in Carrizozo, New Mexico and grew up in Cubero and Grants, New Mexico. Mary was the first town clerk of Grants and later met and married Bill Bledsoe, who was an air traffic controller in nearby Acomita. They raised their family in Albuquerque where Mary worked as an accountant and executive secretary in New Mexico government, secondary education and private industry. In 1985, Mary and Bill moved to Fort Collins to be near their family. In retirement, they traveled extensively throughout the U.S., the Caribbean, Panama, and Spain where Mary traced her Spanish heritage and completed a pilgrimage to St. Teresa of Avila's birthplace, Mary's patron saint. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Santiago Romero Daley and Guadalupe Mae Norman; a sister, Anna Mae Starr; and a brother, William O. (Billy) Daley. Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Bill Bledsoe; her daughter, Mary Cyril Bledsoe of Knoxville, TN (formerly of Cheyenne, WY); sons, Eugene Daley of Smyrna, TN; Ken (Phyllis) Bledsoe of Fort Collins, and Will Bledsoe of Louisville; Jana Bledsoe of Boulder; granddaughters, Erin Bledsoe, Tayler Bledsoe, Annette Gray, and Marla Donour; grandson, Geno Daley; and her brother, James Norman Daley of Fortuna, CA. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at Blessed John XXIII. a spring internment is planned for Santa Fe National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mary's memory to Blessed John XXIII University Parish, 1220 University Avenue, Ft. Collins Colorado 80521-4555.