HOUSE MEMORIAL 54

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Ben Lujan

A MEMORIAL

EXTENDING THE CONDOLENCE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF AMBASSADOR FRANK V. ORTIZ.

     WHEREAS, Ambassador Frank V. Ortiz passed away on Sunday, February 27, 2005, at the age of seventy-nine after suffering from cancer; and

     WHEREAS, Ambassador Frank Ortiz was born on March 14, 1926 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Frank and Margaret Delgado Ortiz; and

     WHEREAS, he graduated from Santa Fe high school at the age of seventeen during World War II, and since, upon graduation, he was not old enough serve in the armed forces of the United States, he alternatively worked as a public servant as an aide to the United States senate in Washington, D.C.; and

     WHEREAS, immediately upon becoming eighteen years of age, he joined the United States air force and was shot down in a B-29 bomber over the seas off Japan on July 13, 1945; and

     WHEREAS, after returning to the United States from the war, he enrolled in the Georgetown university school of foreign service, graduating in 1951, and later worked for nearly forty years in the American foreign service; and

     WHEREAS, while working for the American foreign service, he served as ambassador to Barbados, Grenada, Guatemala, Peru and Argentina until his retirement in 1990; and

     WHEREAS, he was instrumental in the founding of the friends of the palace of the governors, which assisted in the obtainment of thirty-one million dollars ($31,000,000) for the planned New Mexico history museum; and

     WHEREAS, he served on the committee to create a monument to Spanish colonial families in Cathedral park and helped found Think New Mexico, a nonpartisan think tank; and

     WHEREAS, he served on boards for the council of international relations, the North American institute, art in public places, St. John's college, the Santa Fe city library, the national dance institute of New Mexico and the New Mexico Hispanic cultural center and served as a trustee for Rancho De Las Golondrinas; and

     WHEREAS, Ambassador Frank Ortiz was a self-proclaimed "ordinary kid from Santa Fe" who received the Chamizal commemorative medal from President Lyndon Johnson, the state department's superior service honor award, the unit superior honor award, a knighthood by the king of Spain and a knight of the sovereign order of Malta with the rank of pro merito militenses; and

     WHEREAS, he will be remembered for his passion in preserving the rich heritage of New Mexico and will be missed by the Santa Fe community; and

     WHEREAS, he was cherished by his family and friends; and

     WHEREAS, he is survived by his wife, Dolores Ortiz; four children, Christina, Frank, Stephen and Jaime Ortiz; three daughters-in-law; six grandchildren; and many relatives and friends;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that condolences of be extended to the family and friends of Ambassador Frank V. Ortiz.

- 3 -