Guillermo "Willie" Ramirez

Guillermo “Willie” Ramirez, 84, of Ruidoso, NM passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 8, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Willie was born on January 10, 1942, in Morenci, Arizona, to Calistro and Maria Garcia Ramirez. Morenci, a historic copper-mining town in eastern Arizona, was home to many immigrant and working-class families, and that environment shaped Willie’s resilient, hard‑working character from an early age. As an infant, he survived meningitis and later a severe ear infection that required surgery. Though doctors warned these illnesses and treatment could affect his speech and cognitive development, Willie’s toughness and will to fight helped him overcome those early challenges.

He was raised in a close-knit Mexican American family. His father, Calistro, originally from the state of Jalisco, Mexico came to the United States with his daughter Delores (Lola) Nogales around 1910 and worked as a miner in the Morenci and Miami areas. His father met and married Willie’s mother, Maria from Ajo, AZ, who had three children—Jose, Benny, and Esperanza—from her first marriage before she and Calistro married and built a blended family. Willie grew up alongside his brother Bobby, his sisters Lola and Fina, and his step‑siblings, with strong family ties, deep faith, and a culture of hard work and perseverance that would follow him throughout his life.

In the early 1960s, while living in the Phoenix area, Willie met Margaret (Margie) Rita Lucero, and married her on June 10, 1962, in Phoenix, Arizona. Together, they raised their children – Catherine, Willie Boy, and Michael. In 1967, they moved to a subdivision near South Phoenix where they would raise their family for nearly two decades. This home became the center of countless projects, gatherings, and memories.

Willie spent most of his career with Western Electric Company’s Phoenix facility as a production worker, helping manufacture underground cable that supported the nation’s telephone infrastructure through the Bell System and AT&T. He left for work before sunrise and rarely called in sick. He did not earn a large salary, but through discipline, frugality, and a strong sense of responsibility, he provided everything his family needed.

At home, Willie was a tireless worker and perfectionist who loved making his home beautiful through lawn care, maintenance, and large-scale building projects.

Willie and Margie consistently strived for a better life while embracing a conservative lifestyle. Over time, their children came to recognize that his sacrifices and strict standards were profound expressions of love, and that the strong work ethic he instilled in them was one of his greatest gifts.

He lived simply and dressed simply—usually in a white T‑shirt, Levi jeans, and work shoes or boots. He avoided extravagance and luxuries, choosing instead to invest in the home and in practical improvements to his family’s quality of life.

One of the enduring symbols of Willie’s frugality and pride was his 1965 Chevy II Nova station wagon with a stainless-steel roof rack. He drove that car for decades, from his children’s early childhood well into their adulthood. It had no air conditioning or heat, but its manual transmission delivered good gas mileage, and Willie valued its reliability. A young surfer kid showed up at Willie's door one day, asking him to sell his beloved Nova, and he finally parted ways with it.

Outside of work and home projects, Willie enjoyed time with his extended family, especially his brothers and sisters, and he loved watching football. He was a devoted fan of the Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys and had an impressive knowledge of college players and where they played before entering the NFL.

On March 3, 2002, Willie’s beloved wife, Margie, passed away from a pulmonary infection. Her passing marked a profound loss for Willie and their children, closing a chapter of four decades of shared life, sacrifices, and love.

In time, Willie began a new chapter. In 2003 he retired and moved to Ruidoso, New Mexico, a quiet mountain village in the Sierra Blanca range known for its cool climate and peaceful, small‑town lifestyle. Ruidoso was Willie's dream retirement location, where he found solace in the slower pace and tranquil surroundings. Later, through a mutual family friend, he met Martha Patricia (Patty) Meza from El Paso, TX, coincidentally also a widow. Willie and Patty united in 2005 and on December 12, 2007, were married; together they built a blended family rooted in love, respect, and shared values. Willie and Patty spent most of their time in El Paso where they enjoyed time with Patty’s children—Jose Meza, married to Rossy Meza and Flor Meza-Fuentes and her former spouse, Alex Fuentes, as well as their beautiful grandchildren. Willie took great pride in his family, loving and guiding them well. He cherished his role as a husband, stepfather and grandfather, and extended the same work ethic, practicality, and quiet generosity to his second family as he did to his first.

Collectively, Willie shared his life with a large and loving family of grandchildren and great‑grandchildren, each of whom brought him joy and pride. His grandchildren include: Gabriel (Megan) and Christopher Ruiz, Nicholas Gonzales, Jacob (Nayely), Adam and Jonathan Ramirez, Joaquin and Santiago Meza, and Arianna and Manette Fuentes. His great‑grandchildren include: Henlea and Landen Ruiz and Hunter William Ramirez. He delighted in seeing new generations grow, knowing that pieces of his spirit, his perseverance, love, stubbornness, and heart—would live on in them.

Willie is preceded in death by his parents, Calistro and Maria, his first wife, Margie, his brother, Bobby, sister, Lola, step‑siblings and his son-in-law, Ken Valverde. He is survived by his wife, Martha Patricia (Patty) Ramirez; his children, Catherine Valverde, Willie & Aimee Ramirez, and Michael Ramirez; his stepchildren, Jose & Rossy Meza and Flor Meza-Fuentes; his grandchildren and great‑grandchildren; his sister, Fina; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends who will miss him dearly.

Those who knew him will remember his strong work ethic, his stubborn determination, his pride in a job done right, and the deep, if sometimes unspoken, love he had for his family.

Willie will be laid to rest wearing his favorite Levi jeans and cowboy boots, honoring his lifelong practical style and love for simple, durable things. Family and friends are warmly encouraged, though not required, to wear boots—or any comfortable Western attire that feels right to you—in celebration of Willie's spirit.

A visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with a rosary recitation at 12p.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona. Burial will follow at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, Phoenix.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.