Ortiz, Renate Marlene "Omi"

Renate Marlene Ortiz "Omi" - 77 years old of Albuquerque New Mexico passed away peacefully March 15, 2017.

She was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria Germany on September 23, 1939 to Julie and Martin Estner. In 1960 she played an April fools joke on her mother and moved to the United States. After moving to the United States she fell in love with an US Army American Paratrooper, Robert "Bob" Eddie Ortiz, who was from Albuquerque, NM, and they married on November 21, 1962.

Renate became a proud American citizen in 1968. She was employed by the APS-PTA Clothing Bank for over twenty years. She loved the children she helped and she made them feel special in every way. She had a true passion about caring for children and it was apparent through her work at the clothing bank. Many of the children and APS staff members still remember her to this day. She touched so many lives everywhere she went. She was always upbeat, loved to joke around & had a personality larger than life.

Renate later went on to work at Costco giving out food samples where she made many more friends. She was always happy and loved talking to people. Everyone loved Renate, "Omi".

During her retirement, she loved going to the casino with her husband "Bob", watching her grandsons play sports, her granddaughter compete in Special Olympics and spending time with her family. She loved going for walks at the Rio Grande Nature Center, watching the Sandhill cranes off of Rio Grande, or driving to Bernalillo to look at the wild life.

She is preceded in death by her daughter, Bernice Price, survived by her husband, Robert Ortiz of 55 years, her daughter Janette Kimberlin, her son Robert Ortiz, and his wife Carla, her son Andrew Ortiz, and his wife Michelle, eight grand children Lisa Arnold, Nicole Miller, Neal Aragon, Jaelynn Payne, Drew Ortiz, Ryan Ortiz, "Sunshine" Amaya Payne, Jasmine Ortiz and four great grandchildren Madeline Arnold, Elise Arnold, Damian and Evan Aragon.

A celebration of Renate’s life will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at her son Andrew Ortiz’s home.