In Loving Memory of Melanie Lynn Montoya

Melanie Lynn Montoya passed very unexpectedly on July 21st 2026. She was born on July 19th, 1959, to Leroy and Dorothy Baca. She grew up with four siblings and had a daughter of her own in 1979. Growing up in a big family resonated deeply with who she was as a person. She was happiest when she was surrounded by her loved ones. Melanie will always be remembered by her family as being their home away from home. She spent countless hours perfecting memorable visits for gathering family. Her big beautiful Christmas tree, the flowering gardens in the summer, her scary Halloween parties, and her homemade stuffing at Thanksgiving. She was full of love for her family and was the sacred memory keeper for them all. Melanie spent every event behind the lens of her camera, capturing the moment in a picture to make sure it was never forgotten. She was a vibrant woman who took in every moment spent with the ones she loved most. Melanie was strong and emulated the family’s definition of “Baca genetics”. She raised her two eldest grandchildren Cece and Lilly as her own daughters. She spent summers at Monument Lake with them along with her granddaughter Hope and her hita Cheyenne. Melanie’s love for camping started with her marriage to Richard Montoya, spending days in the mountains with her stepdaughters Vicki and Cindy. She hosted huge Christmas dinners inviting her sisters Cindy and Kathy, along with her nieces Nicole, Amanda, and Megan. Melanie created memories in her houses that we all will never forget. Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she made every single one magical. She will be missed more than words will ever be able to describe. She is preceded in death by her Grandpa Nick Martinez, Grandma Jennie Martinez, Daddy Leroy Baca, and her daughter Dorothy Inez Baca Romero. She is survived by her Mother Dorothy Mae Baca, her daughters Cece (Vince) and Lilly Salazar, her siblings Valorie (Dave) Vasquez, Cynthia Baca, Kathleen Fontes, and Leroy (Rose) Baca, her grandchildren Hope (Izaya) Baca and Gabriel Campos, and her many nieces and nephews. Melanie will be laid to rest by her family at the Baca Family’s private cemetery plots in Carpio Longsdale Cemetery at a later date and will notify people who would like to attend. For information please contact the family.