Margo Denise Papen Litts

Margo, the bravest, most wonderful, most magnificent, sweetest, loving, kind, most beautiful, thoughtful, FUN human being passed peacefully in her Albuquerque home, Friday, September 12, 2025, after a courageous battle with cancer. Throughout her illness, she showed incredible strength, love and grace.

Eight of eight, the baby of the family, Margo was born in Las Cruces, NM, and grew up on a farm in Berino, surrounded by cotton fields and horses. She and her siblings would walk to the post office each day and chase the crop dusters on their way back home. The children would help iron the napkins and tablecloths, but they weren't to be seen nor heard when the dinner party started. They would watch from the staircase as their mother and father, all dressed up, danced with their friends and colleagues. Margo loved her daddy, her protector, and faith was always a part of Margo's life. Her father was deeply involved in the church, and the family prayed the rosary daily. Though she faced health struggles as a young child and was once told she would not live a full life, Margo was, and always will be, a miracle. God walked with Margo every day.

Her father's passing when she was only nine brought her, her mother, and her siblings to the big city of Albuquerque, where life was different but full of new beginnings. Margo learned how to play the violin and was a high school track star. With McDonald's down the street (only 50 burgers sold), they didn't have to pluck the chickens anymore. No matter where she was, Margo carried her deep love of family, her joy for life, and her unwavering faith in God.

Margo never met a stranger. She had a gift for making connections - whether with lifelong friends, someone she met in the grocery store, or even a waiter at her favorite restaurant. She loved learning about people, their families, and their stories.

She moved across country (and back) and began working at a very young age, often holding two jobs at once. She especially enjoyed her time at the dry cleaners and as a short-order cook on base. She was famous for her "Margo Specials." Margo also had a knack for numbers and could use a 10-key calculator with her eyes closed. She earned a bookkeeping certificate and handled finances for several CPAs as well as her husband's company, GL Painting. She ran the behind the scenes for many, many years.

Margo absolutely loved her Georgie! They were soulmates, married on Valentine's Day. Together, they built a life rooted in love, partnership, and devotion. They worked hard, always side by side, and shared the kind of love that inspires - the greatest love story of all time.

Full of wisdom and kindness, Margo always cared for those around her. She went out of her way to make each of us feel special on any occasion. With a keen intuition and a gift for nurturing, she was the VERY BEST mom, grandma ... Gogo. She loved her family BIG! She always put her children first, always so proud and encouraging. She went to every field trip, every soccer game. She helped with every school project ... she was always our - and our friends' - ride home. She was also a loyal volunteer for the Special Olympics. She taught us how to swim. She taught us how to tie our shoes and how to skip. She would walk us to the library. She loved to read. She loved to play games and build puzzles. She made sure we always had everything we needed to succeed: a clean home, a BIG heart and the BEST food! She made the best blanket pallets and mixed the best chocolate milk. She was known for her tins of cookies and her big witches' pot of green chile stew. She loved to flip pizzas and made the best ranch salad.

Mom always sang songs to us while she was cooking or cleaning. She loved to dance and sing. She would always say grace and loved sharing meals with her family. She loved a chance to go out to eat ANYwhere. She enjoyed going to good buffets or taking us out for steak and lobster dinners.

She was the life of the party, the spark that ignited joy in every gathering. So full of life AND!! love, she was one of a kind, her spirit was contagious. Her radiant smile and her sparkling green eyes lit up every room. She always told the best, most unforgettable stories with great life lessons. She could have written a book about her dreams. She would have premonitions, and she could talk to animals. She talked with the dolphins in Vegas, and she would talk to the lion and the monkeys at the zoo.

Margo devoted her life to her kids and taking them on trips - going to California and down to the beach ... and other trips to California, Disney, Yellowstone, Austin, Vegas and Winstar ... and yearly trips to Dallas. Margo dreamed of winning the lottery or winning big at the casino and going on a cruise. She loved to travel, see shows, go to concerts and watch movies. "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads."

And when it was time to say goodbye, Margo's love was always clear. She would stand at the curb or by the garage, waving until you were out of sight.

Margo was the glue, the heart, the H A P P Y that held our family together and made our house a home. She will be forEVER missed. We will always remember her touch, her laughter, her smell, her smooches, the way she held our cheek in admiration. We will carry her love with us always, the love she gave so freely - the bestest in the westest!!

We'll always remember the gatherings at Oma's house, the Christmases, the art shows. Margo always took such great care of her mother and her husband's parents. Together again, young and free of pain, we know they will protect us.

Margo was preceded in death by her parents John Anthony Papen Jr. and Helen Elizabeth Parrish Papen, and her brother Frank. She is survived by her husband George; her children, Shane (Sarah), Crystal (Ryan), Andrew and Kathryn (John); her grandchildren, Eddy Jr., Riley, Mattie, Peter, Marie (Chad), Harmon, Andrew Jr. and Ayden; her great-grandchildren, Jesse, Cillian, River, Bonnie and Dorothy; her siblings, Elizabeth Ann, John III, Marcella, Mollie, Bridget and Terrence; and MANY nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.

The service to celebrate Margo's life will be held at a later date, to be announced. She wanted us to share stories, food, love and laughter at the Elena Gallegos picnic area. Join us as we honor her life and legacy. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her honor to the Roadrunner Food Bank or the New Mexico BioPark Society. Margo would also love it if you played your favorite casino slot machine in her memory.

"I call for the prayers of all those who have known me, of all those who have loved me." St. Ephrem