Isabel Padilla Baca Acosta

Isabel Padilla Baca Acosta passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 83. She was born on March 18, 1942, in Artesia, New Mexico, delivered by Dona Rosalia Muniz to Juan Cordova Baca and Ana Arguello Padilla. She graduated from Artesia High School in 1961, where she was part of the drama and choir clubs. Shortly after, she married her high school sweetheart, the late Cruz Lopez Acosta, on April 18, 1962. They were married for 53 years. As a child, Isabel grew up in the barrio of El Ojito. She viewed everyday as an adventure, a spirit that carried into adulthood. Her love of stories and attention to detail led her to become a technical writer for the Community Action Program and later the Senior Nutrition Program. She also served as director for the Eddy & Chaves County RSVP program, and the Foster Grandparent Program, she was supervisor for the Summer Youth Program. Isabel eventually retired from the Income Support Division of New Mexico at the age of 65. She could use words to illustrate experiences like no one else. She was the aunt who never said no. Isabel had many nicknames, but her favorites were “Aunt Chata” and “Silly Grandma”. Her hobbies included gardening, crosswords, writing stories, and watching hallmark movies. She was a devoted member of Our Lady of Grace and the Good Shepheard Choir. Isabel always represented those who had lost a voice. Isabel was preceded in death by her parents: Juan and Ana Baca; husband, Cruz Lopez Acosta; son, Howard Acosta; daughters: Judy and Ginger Acosta; brothers: Reuben and Johnny Baca. She is survived by her daughter, Lorraine (Celestino Hernandez); granddaughter, Ava Acosta; grandson, Matthew (Aimee Hernandez); grandson, Cilio Hernandez; great-grandchildren: Zachasya, Makayla, Mila, Taevian, and Marah; sisters: Petrita Baca of Rio Rancho, Helen Salgado of Las Cruces, and Erlinda Briseno of Artesia; beloved pet, Milo. Isabel’s legacy lives on through her family, her story telling, her kindness, her famous tamales, her thanksgiving dressing, and the countless lives she touched. The family would like to thank Enhabit Home Health, Artesia Meals on Wheels, and our neighbors. My favorite inspiration: “To laugh often and love much…to find the best in others…to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived is to have succeeded.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson A Rosary will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 9:30 am in Artesia, NM, with a Memorial Service to begin at 10:00 am. Interment following the Memorial Service at Woodbine Cemetery in Artesia.

Isabel Padilla Baca Acosta

March 18, 1942 - November 28, 2025