Irene Consuelo "Connie" Chavez

Irene Consuelo "Connie" Chavez, 81, of Pueblo, Colorado, went to be with the Lord on May 9, 2026. Connie was a proud native of El Valle de San Luis. She often spoke of the family's humble roots as sheep herders and agricultural workers in the San Luis Valley, who took on seasonal migrant labor across Colorado. She graduated as valedictorian of San Luis High School and earned a BA in Spanish from Adams State College. In 1972, Connie met her future husband, José Octavio Chávez, who had come from Chihuahua, Mexico. Once they began their family, they often traveled back to the Sierra Mountain region of Chihuahua so their children would know their father's homeland. After becoming a mother of three, Connie returned to Adams State and completed her master's in bilingual education in 1992. A lifelong educator, Connie taught elementary school first in San Luis and then in Pueblo, including at Fulton Heights, Spann, and Parkview. Her love of books and libraries was a lifelong obsession. She believed education was a pathway to empowerment and was an early advocate for introducing young children to computers. On Pueblo's east side, she founded a community center called Cuentos y Cultura, a welcoming place for working-class and bilingual families where children could read, use computers, and learn Ballet Folklórico. She was an active presence in Chicano and Mexican communities across greater Pueblo, raising awareness of the rights of agricultural workers, bilingual education, and voting rights in marginalized neighborhoods. She defended social justice throughout her career. Connie was the diligent guardian of the family's history. She was rarely seen without her camera at family gatherings and cultural events, and she loved to recount stories drawn from the lore and history of Southern Colorado and New Mexico. She also loved a road trip. Connie made pilgrimages with her family back to the San Luis Valley to camp and to clean and decorate the tombstones of relatives who had passed, telling stories along the way so that her children would carry their roots and family tree forward. She brought that same dedication to the Southern Colorado Genealogy Chapter, traveling with friends to meetings and conferences across the region. A woman of deep faith, she was an active member of the Auxiliary of St. Mary's Women's group at St. Anne's Catholic Church. She was devoted to her nieces and nephews and was known across the family as the babysitter who genuinely loved being with children. She was benevolent and selfless, always remembering everyone's birthday, giving little gifts, and sending cards. She loved animals, and her home was always full of beloved pets, often more than anyone could count. Connie was a luchadora. She faced many obstacles over the course of her life and met each one with strength and positivity, lessons her children and grandchildren will carry forward. In her final years, she battled dementia and colon cancer with that same fierce spirit until the very end. She was preceded in death by her husband, José Octavio Chávez; her parents, Juan Ramon and Marinita Alires; and her brothers, Luis and Ricardo Alires. She is survived by her children, Augi (Brenda) Chavez, Xóchitl (Efraín López) Chávez, and Gabriela Chavez; her grandchildren, Danica and Dylan; her sisters, Linda Gallegos and Barbara Palomares-Alires; and many dearly loved nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends. Connie's life was full of people, and she made each of them feel known. She believed her humble beginnings were something to be proud of and passed forward, not outgrown. She spent her years making sure her children, grandchildren, students, and community knew where they came from and what they were capable of. The roots she tended so carefully will keep growing in everyone who knew her. She will be missed beyond words.

Irene Consuelo "Connie" Chavez

September 15, 1944 - May 9, 2026