Josephine Lobato

Josephine Lobato (Josie), 90, of Westminster, CO, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2026.

Josie was born on April 11, 1936, in San Luis, Colorado, to Julian and Charlotte Lucero. She was one of seven siblings. She attended Mercy High Catholic School in San Luis where she met her future husband, Eugene (Buddy) Lobato. They were married on September 5, 1954, and they were married for 68 years.

After graduating from high school and marrying, the young couple moved to Denver, bought a home, and welcomed eight children. Buddy worked and Josie was a stay-at-home mom. Just imagine the challenge of raising eight kids in the wild and exciting 1960’s and 70’s. With all the children secure in school, Josie chose to enter the work world. Initially she worked in department stores and eventually became a bakery manager for King Soopers.

Josie's faith was a very important part of her life. She continued her catholic upbringing and raised her family to lead a faithful life. Attending catholic church and praying the rosary were an integral part of her life. Throughout her lifetime she led her children to know God and live good Christian lives. Prayer and her faith were her superpower.

In 1978, with their older children in college, married or living on their own, Buddy and Josie moved with their three youngest children back to the San Luis Valley. Buddy dreamed of reviving the family ranch and Josie began working for The San Luis Cultural Center. Soon after, Josie became director of The Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center. It was during this time that Josie was able to realize a lifelong dream. While managing a home (Ranch), raising children and grandchildren, and working, she was also taking college courses, and after many long days of travel and late-night classes, she graduated with an associate's degree from Adams State College.

In addition to her already busy life, while working at the museum, Josie became interested in the historic art of colcha embroidery, creating detailed tapestries that depicted the stories of her family, sharing local legends, and reviving the nearly lost art in Colorado.

In 2008, the couple returned to the Denver area, this time settling in Westminster to be closer to their family. Josie continued to create colcha pieces and shared her knowledge of colcha embroidery traditions through workshops and mentoring. During this time she received several awards for her work, the most notable awards being The National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship Award in 2019, presented in Washington D.C., and the Colorado Heritage Award.

Josie’s art work is also included in several books, including Dr. Suzanne MacAulay’s Stitching Rights: Colcha Embroidery Along the Northern Rio Grande (2000). Her monograph Mi Vida en Colcha (2025) was published with support from the San Luis Valley Embroidery Project.

Most of all, Josie was always very devoted to her family. During the last decade of her life, she was a caregiver to her husband, and to other family members in need. She always found a way to be a positive influence on her children and grandchildren. Her home in Westminster was always an open house of family coming and going. She relished large family gatherings at her home for birthdays, holidays or just because.

Josie is preceded in death by her husband, Buddy, her son, Eugene, her daughter, Regina, grandsons Michael and Josiah, and great grandson Michael Jr. She is survived by her children; Rita (Paul), Armand (Michelle), Rose (Leroy), Vernon (Sandy), Josephine, and Emilio (Lillian). She also leaves behind her grandchildren: Xavier Montoya, Isaac Montoya, Manuel Crespin, Celestina Crespin, Leah Berg, Bryan Lobato, Richard Martinez, Raquel Martinez, Rochelle Martinez, Dominic Martinez, Adrianna Lobato, Matthew Lobato, Gilbert Apodaca, Rochelle Varela, Jacinta Lobato, Trent Young, Courtney Lobato, and Joshua Lobato, 29 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Services will be held on Friday, May 1 with recitation of the rosary at 1:30pm and Mass at 2:00 pm at Sangre de Cristo Parish, 511 Church Place, San Luis Colorado. A reception will follow at Centennial High School common area. 14644 Highway 159, San Luis.

For the Denver area people, a service will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3050 w. 76th Ave. Westminster Co 80030 on May 8 @ 6:30 pm. Rosary and drinks will follow.