Agatha Long

Maria Agatha (Montoya) Long entered into the hands of the Lord on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at the age of 85. She was a loving mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, and best friend and will be dearly missed. Agatha was well known around Lincoln County; she took pride in her deep family roots in the area, and was respected for her unwavering honesty, integrity, musical talents and green-thumb. Agatha is preceded in death by her beloved parents, Claudio and Juanita Montoya, her sister Lupe Fresquez, brothers Claude, Jimmy and David Montoya. She is survived by her sisters Anna Hobbs, Rosa Flemmons and brother Tony Montoya, her loving children, Patty Farris (Richard), Michael Long, Mickey Aguilar (John), Beth St. Germain (Don) and Ellen Brewer (Scott); six grandchildren Danny Lindbloom, Joshua Long, Ransom McIntire, Vanessa Woolf, Stevie Ray Aguilar and Rachel Woolf. In addition, eight great-grand children who were also very dear to her heart. She also had a very large extended family whom she loved.

Agatha was born September 8, 1935 in Lincoln County NM, on the Block Ranch, where her father was employed. One of her favorite stories was that she was delivered on the banks of the Macho Creek by a blind mid-wife. She grew up in Encinoso on the north side of the Capitan Mountains where she attended grade school in a one room schoolhouse and went on to graduate from Capitan High School in 1954.

Agatha met her husband to be, Richard K. Long, who was a young GI stationed at White Sands Stallion Range. When he was transferred overseas, she bravely traveled alone from her small, isolated world, to Germany in 1955 to marry her one true love. After returning to the US, they lived in El Paso where she raised her family. In 1976 Agatha returned home to Encinoso. Agatha was a devout Catholic and spent many years as a member of the church choir at the Sacred Heart church in Capitan. She also loved playing her guitar and fiddle, singing with various musicians that she knew, traveling with her children, caring for her grandchildren, and tending to her garden and greenhouse. But most of all, she loved her little home her father built so many years ago and it’s where she spent the remainder of her days.

Agatha’s career consisted of civil service, education, and other various forms of employment. She worked hard all her life but the most favorite and dear to her heart was the time she spent as a nanny for Willa and Preston Stone helping to raise Troy and Tracey.  She was affectionately known to them as “Annie”. Whether it be helping to brand cows or changing diapers, she loved every minute of it. She retired from the Capitan Municipal Schools, but it was important to her to be a productive member of society, so she went back to work at the Lincoln Museum where she loved learning and sharing her immense knowledge of Lincoln County.

Services will be held March 20th, 2021 at 10:30 A.M. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Capitan NM. Unfortunately, due to Covid19 restrictions, the church service will be a private ceremony for family only. Immediately following, the burial, which is open to all friends and family, will be held at Encinoso Cemetery on Dove Hill so she can Rest in Peace eternally near her beloved home. Honorary pall bearers are Michael Long, Danny Lindbloom, Joshua Long, Ransom McIntire, Stevie Ray Aguilar and Larry Fresquez.