Donna Otero

Donna went to heaven March 6, 2025, due to the effects of Dementia/Alzheimers. She was preceded in death by her parents, Audrey and Ross; and brothers, David and Dennis. She is survived by her husband, Charlie; children, Leanor, Jesse, and Carlos (Fiorella); and grandchildren, Gentry, Caridad, Samantha, Reynaldo, Leyla, Ernest, and Lima.

Raised in Albuquerque, she attended APS Schools, Hawthorne Elementary, Hayes MS, Manzano HS, and graduated from UNM Anderson school of Management with a degree in accounting.

Donna dedicated her life to caring for and nurturing her family. With the birth of her children, she chose to forego her education and career to support Charlie and guide her babies through school, athletics, their cultural, artistic and music interests. In High School she was 2nd chair Violin in the orchestra. She was the perfect Team Player; assisting with schoolwork, coaching teams when no one else would, doing the books for her children’s Little League, being the Team Mom for all their different sports coordinating team schedules and planning parents’ meetings, Team Banquets and awards (Football, Softball, Baseball, Wrestling, Basketball, Soccer). Pretty sure she never missed a game or match. Even though she never played or was involved in any organized sports as a child, she had a journeyman’s understanding of everything there was to know about communicating and guiding her brood. She kept a meticulous score book for softball and baseball and knew how to make a lineup card to share with umpires and opposing coaches. She loved to scrutinize whether, it was a hit or an error and never favored her children at bats. She knew the message of a purpose pitch, and the difference of blocking out or a moving screen in basketball. In wrestling, she loved the result of a single or double leg takedown and would giggle when she finally understood what a whizzer was.

When Carlos was in kindergarten and all three were in school, she decided to go back to UNM to get her accounting degree. She and Charlie jokingly bragged that she was on scholarship, never letting on that together they paid for her tuition. She would often wake Charlie at 2 or 3 in the morning to gush about understanding her calculus assignments. Three years later with a degree, she started her own business, bookkeeping, and growing a stable of 10 to 20 steady clients. Fiercely independent, she loved her success and reveled her equality supporting the household and raising her children side by side with Charlie. The family has always understood and agreed that their success in school and careers (including Charlie’s) was because of her.

Donna and Charlie met the summer of 1972 while they were out cruising. Hoping to set her up with one of his friends who had recently broken up just didn’t seem to be in his cards. Charlie thinking: he’s not taking the bait and amazed at how cute she was, made his play and the rest is history. Together 53 years, after eloping, this December would be their 49th wedding Anniversary.

Donna’s services will be Friday, May 23, 2025, at San Ysidro Parish and cemetery, 5015 Corrales Rd., Corrales, NM, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with a Rosary followed by Mass, burial, and a celebration of life at the parish hall.