Anselma J. Montoya, 76, passed away surrounded by family after receiving the Anointing of the Sick in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on June 29, 2026. Anselma was born on September 1, 1949, in San Luis, Colorado, to Anselmo and Adelia Medina. She grew up in San Luis and graduated from Centennial High School.
She went to Adams State College in Alamosa, where she met the love of her life, Vivian F. Montoya. They moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they started their family and raised three sons. They eventually settled on the west side of town near the Garden of the Gods in a beautiful neighborhood called Pleasant Valley.
She was a devout Catholic, a devoted and loving mother, and worked at several different jobs over the years. But she was most proud of her time as a circuit board technician at Hewlett Packard. After many years, she became a grandmother to 3 boys and 1 girl. Anselma moved with her husband, Vivian, to Las Vegas, NV, where he taught mathematics for another 6 years in the Clark County School District and retired again in 2011.
She made many friends there, kept herself busy, and worked for a brief time at the Red Rocks Casino. However, she quickly gave that up when she found out that she couldn’t play bingo if she worked there. During this time, they also raised their 5th and youngest grandson.
After her husband, Vivian, passed away unexpectedly in Las Vegas, NV, in November of 2012, she moved back to Colorado Springs to be closer to family. Her only granddaughter married and had two children, so she became a devoted and loving great-grandmother too.
Anselma maintained her friendships with her childhood and high school friends and loved getting together with them to plan their reunions. She was a devout Catholic, sang in the choir at Our Lady of Guadalupe, was a Eucharistic minister, and also taught catechism at Sacred Heart.
Like her husband, she was also an avid fan of the Denver Broncos. She cherished spending time with her family and friends. She loved all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and continued holiday traditions and Bronco watch parties for many years.
Our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, and “Nana” will forever be remembered for her smile, her love of the color purple, angels and butterflies, her positive energy, gentleness, friendship, and generosity.
She leaves behind three sons; Daymn (Gary), Nicholas, Brandon (Julia); grandchildren; Brennen, Brittanie (Nate), Mychael, Damian, Salviano (raised like a son), great-grandchildren; Isaiah and Sophia, sisters and brother; Anna Lee, Kathleen (Charlie), Ricky; daughter in-law Steph and her daughter Brooklyn, and numerous extended family, relatives, and friends far and wide.
A Rosary on Monday, July 6 at 7 PM and a Funeral Mass and burial will take place in San Luis, Colorado on Tuesday, July 7 at 2 PM at the Sangre de Cristo Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, Mass intentions may be offered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Divine Redeemer, or Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Colorado Springs, or Sangre de Cristo Catholic Church in San Luis.
