DAVID CHRISTOPHER ORTEGA Sept. 1, 1946 – Sept. 30, 2025
David “Chris” Ortega, 79, of Montrose, Colorado, formerly of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away September 30th in Grand Junction, surrounded by family, after a heroic battle with cancer. He lived a full and wonderful life devoted to family, community, and adventure.
Chris was born September 1, 1946 and was raised in Chimayo, New Mexico, attending Holy Cross Elementary and St. Michael’s High School in Santa Fe. A graduate of New Mexico State University, Chris began his professional career at the Public Service Company of Colorado and then spent 25 years as an engineer and utilities manager working for Los Alamos County.
He was a proud and active member of the Los Alamos community, serving on the Utilities Board, the Finance Committee at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, the YMCA Board, and as a Board of Regents member for Northern New Mexico College. Chris also worked tirelessly with Habitat for Humanity, lending his time and skills to help others build brighter futures.
Beyond his professional and volunteer commitments, Chris cherished the friendships he built playing basketball, where he went on to win numerous gold medals in the Senior Olympics. He especially loved meeting the guys for a basketball game where he built lifelong friendships that meant as much as the game itself. A lifelong weaver, post-retirement, you could find him in his family’s weaving shop in Chimayo, carrying on the family tradition.
An avid outdoorsman, Chris loved hiking the mountains of Los Alamos and Colorado, exploring the Grand Canyon, and even climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. He found joy in travel, weaving, and most of all playing basketball. Chris always enjoyed spending time with his beloved wife, Helen.
Chris’s greatest pride was his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jeanine and David Ortega, and his in-laws, Norma and Paul Stibbard. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and his sons David (Amy), Mark (Kim), Michael (Sarah), and Matthew (Patty), brothers Alan (Veronica), Andrew (Evita), and Robert (Pat), grandchildren Alexi (Dani), Nathaniel, Evan, Isaac, Katy, Lanhui, Nicasio, Gideon, Taya, and Mateo, brother in-laws Doug Stibbard (Diane) and Robbie Stibbard (Roxanne), several nieces, nephews, cousins and many wonderful friends. Whether watching his grandchildren play sports, lending a hand with house projects, or dancing with Helen at a party, Chris brought warmth, humor, and generosity to every moment.
He will be remembered as a man who never hesitated to help a friend or neighbor, who loved life’s adventures, and who filled every room with laughter and kindness.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Family YMCA in Los Alamos and or the Chimayo Cultural Preservation Association.
A Funeral Mass will be held for David Christopher Ortega at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church at 3700 Canyon Road. A Rosary will be said at 10 a.m., before the Mass. A reception will follow the Mass in the parish hall.