Vivian Zonia Watts Otero

Vivian Zonia Watts Otero, known to her descendants as Nana, was 88 years old at time of passing in her sleep on Monday, January 16th, 2017 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Her birth certificate places her birth on October 5th, 1927, however all other documents, including census records, put her birth in 1928. She was born in the small rural town of Blocker Oklahoma in the county of Pittsburgh to a simple laborer, Henry Hoyt Watts, and his farmer wife, Pearl Zoina Pilgrim. She had five siblings who survived to adulthood: Oris Watts (called Red due to the color of his hair); younger than Vivian and in order of birth were twins Lawrence and Florence Watts (who is now the sole survivor of the siblings); Richard and Robert Watts. Her family was caught up in the dust bowl migration that saw the exodus of thousands of families leaving the Midwest and heading to California. Of this great mass of people, the great statesman and comedian, Will Rogers, declared, "the exodus raised the IQ of both Oklahoma and California." It might have been true that Henry and Pearl, as poor sharecroppers, were not the smartest of people, but they possessed a strong work ethic and sense of integrity that they instilled in their children, and by these and many other important measures passed on great, though immeasurable, wealth to their descendants. As with with many Okies, they found California crowded and low on jobs, so they backtracked to New Mexico and made a living sharecropping in rural locations around Las Cruces, settling finally in Doa Ana. Vivian went to Las Cruces High School. Before she graduated, she married Arly Weatherford and bore two children, Chester Lee and Rita Kay Weatherford. She obtained a divorce and met a young man, Jos Otero, while she worked at a cafeteria at New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts (now known as New Mexico State University), whom she subsequently married in June of 1950. They had five children. Jos obtained a degree in soil science and worked for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for his entire career except for two years in the U.S. Department of Commerce. While Jos was attending a year of management training in Washington, D.C., Vivian taught herself to drive their standard column-shift station wagon: She loaded the four children into the car and then began teaching herself the ins and outs of clutching, shifting, steering and braking. Because she didn't have the benefit of an experienced driver sitting next to her, she developed some unique driving habits that remained with her all the years of her driving. Her independence was greatly admired. She studied and obtained her high school General Equivalency Certificate in 1972, which was the same year her fifth child graduated from high school. She returned to work in the restaurant business, eventually managing and cooking for a small, but popular restaurant in Towaoc, Colorado and then a popular Mexican restaurant in Cortez, Colorado. There the Mexican cooking she had learned from Jos's grandmother was much sought after. It is worth noting that Vivian didn't speak Spanish and Jos's grandmother didn't speak English, but Vivian viewed cooking as possessing its own universal language. After Jose retired, they moved to Las Cruces for its climate and to live in a single level home to ease the pain of Vivian's advancing arthritis. Sadly, shortly after their move Vivian's eldest son, Chester, died suddenly in nearby Deming of a massive heart attack and Jos suffered a stroke, ending Vivian's plans for a second hip replacement. Prior to his stroke, Vivian and Jos engaged in many hobbies together, including belonging to a bowling league, playing team bridge card games with friends, traveled for the Elks Lodge, fishing and camping. One of Jose's brothers had five children and all occasionally camped together; imagine 10 children, most of them under 8 years of age, tent camping and sightseeing with four parents trying to maintain order, a challenged increased by the close friendships and resulting rambunctious play among the cousins! Though she was not a member of the Roman Catholic Church and that church formally rejected her second marriage, she raised her five younger children in the church of their father, Jos, and volunteered for assignments to clean the church. One priest remarked that she was more faithful and hardworking than most members. She even hosted a priest nearly weekly when services were held in Towaoc. Her middle son joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and actively proselytized her; to his surprise one day she announced with considerable excitement that she had decided to be baptized… into the Catholic Church. While this wasn't what the son aimed for, he decided to enthusiastically support her decision, because that is what she had done for him many times. She liked to be with Jos. It didn't matter to her what they did as long as they did it together. In her home, she tried to cook whatever people wanted. On a Saturday, this might result in seven different breakfasts. This was upsetting to Jos who could see that this entailed extra work for Vivian, but she wouldn't have it any other way. It was one of the few times her children saw her make a choice different than her husband's wishes; it showed them that she loved them so much that she would go out her way and that she had the courage to be independent. Her greatest joy was her family, and she delighted in her 17 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Their photos adorned the walls, shelves and tables of her home and she spoke of them often, sharing what she gleaned of them from visits and phone calls. Vivian is survived by her only living sibling, Florence Watts of Las Cruces and six of her seven children: Rita Guaderrama and her husband, Johnny, of Las Cruces; Mary Elebario and her husband, Anthony, of Tucumcari, NM; Virginia Friend and her husband, George, of Green Valley, AZ; Joseph Otero, Jr. and his wife, Yasmin, of Springfield, MA.; Rebecca Lynn Deal and her husband, Norman, of Las Cruces; and Charles Otero and wife, Janet, of Farmington, NM; 16 grandchildren, 33 great-great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Bersebe (Bessie) Otero Garcia; Helen Chavez Otero; Betsy Otero of Milwaukee, WI; Dorothy Watts of Mesilla, NM; a multitude of cousins (her mother was one of 15 children and her father had 7 siblings); and 33 nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jos F. Otero of Las Cruces, NM, who passed away September 1, 2007; her eldest son, Chester Lee Weatherford of Deming, NM, who died suddenly on March 9, 1998; her parents, Henry Hoyt Watts of Doa Ana, NM, who died on October 9, 1968, and Pearl Zonia Pilgrim Watts, who passed away March 19, 1990; a granddaughter, Vivian Trujillo of Phoenix, AZ, who passed away suddenly on November 26th of last year; and great-granddaughter, Mirage Lynn Trujillo on December 18, 2001; brothers Oris (Red) Watts of Pleasanton, CA, passed 19 December 1996, Lawrence Watts of Las Cruces, NM passed on 8 November 2000, Richard Watts of Mesilla, NM, deceased October 28, 2009 and Robert Watts of Las Cruces, NM, on March 17, 1992. A public viewing will be held on Monday, January 23, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 10 AM at Getz Funeral home, at 1410 East Bowman Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88001. At the same location, immediately after the viewing will be a eulogy, rosary and Roman Catholic service followed by a brief interment ceremony and internment at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 5140 W Picacho Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88007. Arrangements are being coordinated by Getz Funeral Home. PDF Printable Version Service Information
Monday, January 23, 2017 10:00am,
Getz Funeral Home Chapel

1410 E. Bowman Ave
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001






Interment Location

Hillcrest Memorial Gardens

5140 W. Picacho Ave.
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88007