Rebecca Leah McKernan

Rebecca passed away on February 12, 2026, after a 12-year fight with Parkinsons. She was able to pass surrounded by her family at home.

Rebecca was born in Los Alamos in 1955 to Frank and Emilia Guevara and was the third of six children. Rebecca always loved children and started working at the pediatric clinic in Los Alamos in 1970. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in nursing in 1977 and returned to Los Alamos to work at the Emergency Room. She moved to UNM Children's Hospital in 1979 to work in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit and was appointed Director in 1980. Her specialty was with children with heart conditions. Rebecca attained her master's in nursing from UNM in 1997. She worked in different Pediatric subspecialties as a Nurse Practitioner including Pediatric Gastroenterology, Surgery and ENT through 2015. She remained in her career at the UNM Center for Developmental Disabilities to work with the medically fragile. Rebecca cared for the children of New Mexico with love and dedication for over 52 years.

Rebecca's love for children went far outside her profession. She fostered special needs children while raising her own four children. She was active in providing programs for students at the local elementary school, including Art in the Schools, and was very involved in the local Girl Scout troop. Knowing nothing of baseball, she became the score keeper for the little league teams. She went to all her children's sports events and activities.

Rebecca made friends and acquaintances very easily. She had many friends and colleagues from her years at UNMH. She participated in three book clubs. She had all her buddies at morning swim for 35 years at Valley Pool. To fight Parkinson's, she was part of Rock Steady Boxing, where she made close friends. She had a Bible Study group that was a joy to her.

Rebecca is survived by her husband of 45 years, Steve; four children, Meghan and husband, Jesse, and grandchildren, Alice and Maxine; Ana and husband, Peter and grandchildren, Caeleb and Adelyn; Kathleen and partner, Jacob; Andrew and wife, Nina and daughter, Mia; siblings, Francisco, Ana, Richard and Daniel; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will be eternally grateful to the UNM Hospital Movement Disorder Center which carried through her Parkinson's challenges with an unending support.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the UNM Foundation to support the UNMH Movement Center or the UNMH Palliative Care Center.

Arrangements will be made through FRENCH - University for services to be conducted in the near future. Reference for times and dates.