Lourdes "Toots" Espinoza LaFavor

After leading an extraordinary life, Lourdes “Toots” Espinoza LaFavor, 88, died on July 15, 2025,

at Bee Hive Assisted Living in Bosque Farms, NM. She joins her beloved husband of 56 years,

Harry LaFavor, whom she married on January 4, 1958, and who passed away on May 14, 2014.

Toots was born in Black Lake, NM, on September 23, 1936, to Jose Toribio and Lorenzita

Espinoza. She was the tenth of 13 children, and all but one of her sisters, Isabel Andee

Espinoza, have passed away before her. Her siblings who have died include Benjamin

Espinoza, Fabian Espinoza (infant), Tommie Roy, Rose Valdez, Marie Espinoza, Maria Berna

Ryan, Albina Romero, Toribio Larry Espinoza, Molly Collins, Celedon Herman Espinoza, and

James Espinoza. Besides her sister, Toots is also survived by her nieces and nephews,

including Patricia Cooper, Geraldine Lightburn, Carol Smith, Monica Arguello, Paul Romero,

Andrew Valdez, and Brian Ashleman. Two nephews, Lloyd Roy and Max Valdez, also

predeceased her.

In 1954, Toots graduated from the Northern New Mexico State School in El Rito, NM. She fondly

remembered her time at the boarding school and attended many reunions over the years with

some of her sisters.

Toots helped Harry operate a successful cash register business in Las Vegas, Nevada, for over

20 years. During this period, they were active in Lions International and traveled around the

world. They spent a year sailing around South America on a 65-foot yacht called The

Friendship. They truly embraced their traveling lifestyle and made friends wherever they went.

Since they had no children from their marriage, their generosity extended to their nieces and

nephews, who were treated to a trip to Japan after high school graduation through the Lions

Club student exchange program.

After selling the business, they moved to Parker, AZ, where they designed and built a house and

started crafting and selling southwestern jewelry, all while continuing to travel in their RV.

Later, they relocated to Green Valley, AZ, and joined the Green Valley Lapidary and Silversmith

Club. Toots designed and crafted earrings and assisted in the gift shop.

The family wishes to express gratitude to the staff at Bee Hive Assisted Living in Bosque Farms,

NM, for their outstanding care of Toots during the last seven years of her life. She truly enjoyed

living there.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Riverside Funeral Home, 820

Main St NE, Los Lunas, NM, at 10:00 AM.

Donations can be made to the El Rito Alumni Association Scholarship Committee in memory of

Toots. Contributions should be sent to:

Northern New Mexico Normal School Alumni Association

2242 Bright Star Ave.

Las Cruces, New Mexico 88011

Please include the following reference on all checks: Scholarship Donation- Lourdes Espinosa