Elizabeth Shirley LaChey

Elizabeth Shirley LaChey, two days shy from her 87th Birthday, passed away peacefully in her home on October 1, 2020, after “the Journey with the Long Goodbye” with Alzheimer’s disease. She was surrounded by family members who had lovingly cared for her during her time of declining health.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, Cora and Oscar Yeary; sister, Carolyn Robertson; half-sister, Janell Stansberry-Bailey; and niece, Kathy Robertson.  She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Marcellus Henry LaChey of Albuquerque; half-sisters, Vonnie Stansberry of Wilcox, AZ and Linda Stansberry-Clifton of Tucson, AZ; son, Marc LaChey (Debbie) of Richardson, TX and daughter Lee Anne Lachey-Barbee (Phillip) of Albuquerque.  She is also survived by three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one grandniece; and many other “children” who called her “Mama Wee.”

Elizabeth was the smallest and earliest premature baby to survive following her delivery on October 3, 1933 at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in El Paso, TX.  So, starting at birth Elizabeth exhibited a fighting spirit which became evident in so many ways during her lifetime.  She grew up in El Paso and was fluent in both English and Spanish.  In high school she was the lead drummer on the Ysleta High School Drum Corps in 1949 and 1950.  Following her graduation in 1951, Elizabeth returned to Hotel Dieu Hospital as a nursing student.  At a dance arranged for soldiers and nursing students, Elizabeth met her future husband Marc LaChey, a lieutenant in the Ohio National Guard on temporary duty at the Fort Bliss Army Post. They dated and fell in love with each other.  Her studies were interrupted when she married Marc on November 25, 1953, and then with the births of son, Marc in 1954 and daughter, LeeAnne in 1956.  She returned to Hotel Dieu and graduated as a nurse in 1966.  At her graduation ceremony Elizabeth was recognized by the instructors, head nurses and hospital supervisors with the coveted Florence Nightingale diamond pin.  This award is given to the best all-around student nurse in the graduating class.  Elizabeth’s education culminated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Elizabeth started her professional career as a nurse with the Public Health Department in El Paso.  She worked in the “trenches” helping a population struggling with economic hardships and challenging medical needs.  Then in a strange twist, Elizabeth once again was back at the Hotel Dieu School of Nursing, this time as an instructor.  Her experience as a public health nurse was an important asset for teaching community nursing.  When her family moved to Roswell, NM she continued teaching nursing students at Eastern New Mexico University in Roswell.  During her time in Roswell, she developed a program to help Licensed Practical Nurses advance professionally to become Registered Nurses.  Another move took the family to Albuquerque, where Elizabeth continued professionally as a nurse educator at the University of Albuquerque. She formally retired in 1982 when the university ceased operations.  However, even after retirement, Elizabeth found ways to care for others.  She returned to her community nursing roots and became a Parish Nurse at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Albuquerque.  She started a program to help parishioners with prescription and medical treatment questions.  She also gave flu shots and made visits to homebound parishioners.  Elizabeth encouraged and mentored others, including family members, to consider careers in nursing.  Today, one of her nieces is the Chief Nursing Officer at the Children’s Hospital in Dayton, OH, and Elizabeth’s daughter is a Nurse Practitioner, specializing in Neurology and Neurosurgery.  Elizabeth served on the New Mexico Council on Aging where she was presented with the Outstanding Senior Volunteer award for her contributions to the Senior Medicare Patrol Program.

Elizabeth enjoyed gardening, traveling, shopping and just spending time with her family.  She and husband Marc travelled to several San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins games to watch their nephew play.  They also went on cruises to Australia, New Zealand the Panama Canal. And a special vacation to Ireland.  She made several trips to Germany, Austria and Italy to see her daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law serving in the Air Force.  Or she made trips closer to home to spend time with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughters in Richardson, TX.  She enjoyed visiting her old colleagues from the University of Albuquerque and other friends, both new and old.  Elizabeth’s shopping excursions with her daughter LeeAnne were legendary!  They both could spend a whole day, well into the night “Rat Killing,” to finally return home with a car loaded with “Treasures.”

Most who knew Elizabeth would perhaps best remember her “laugh,” which was unique and conveyed a sense of being heartfelt and from deep within.  Even in her waning days as the Alzheimer’s disease cruelly took more and more of her away from us, she could still give us that laugh to give us some comfort, if even for a fleeting moment.  The family in Albuquerque is very grateful to have had the opportunity to take care of Elizabeth and her husband Marc in their own home.  Thankfully, they did not have to live in a nursing home, especially now during these difficult times with COVID-19.  Their granddaughter Shayna, a Medical Tech trained in Hospice and Alzheimer care at the VA hospital, provided excellent care for “Mama Wee and Papa.” We would also like to give our sincerest appreciation to the Presbyterian Hospice services, in particular Mahalia and Mila.