In Loving Memory of Helen Garitson

Maria Elena (Helen) Garitson (nee Nolan)

Helen was born on February 8, 1932, in Miami, New Mexico. She peacefully entered heaven on March 6, 2024. She is survived by her children Debra Garitson Decker, Cyd Veale, Carl Garitson (Patricia), Leslie Simmons (Rick), Phillip Garitson (Julie), 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters, Julia Sanchez, Elvira (Vera) Montoya, and Rafaelita (Lafie) Lopez as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her father and mother Filadelfo and Emilia Cruz Nolan as well as seven brothers and a sister as well as an infant sibling.

Helen was one of 13 children. She attended Miami School until the 8th grade and graduated from Springer High School in 1950. She married in 1951 and had five children.

Through hard work and determination, she graduated from beauty school in El Rito and opened up Helen’s Beauty Salon in Springer. In addition, she also worked as a cook in the Springer schools.

As a child, she and her sisters would help their mother tend to the garden. They would can what they harvested from the garden and store the canned items in their cellar.

Helen loved to cook and bake. She also crocheted in her spare time. Her cooking and baking specialties were tamales, biscochitos, and fudge. Her enchiladas were also a family favorite.

She was a regular at the Springer Senior Center where she enjoyed playing Bingo and going to the casino. She was also a faithful member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springer.

Services will be held on Tuesday, May 28th at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springer, NM. Rosary will begin at 10:00 AM with Mass to follow. The interment will be at the Springer Cemetery.

Helen will be missed immensely by everyone.

Arrangements for Helen Garitson are under the direction of the Alderette-Pomeroy Funeral Home.