Andrew Ortega

Andrew Thomas Ortega, age 36, was born on December 7, 1983 in Las Vegas, NM and departed this life on July 7, 2020. He was a current resident of Albuquerque. Andrew is survived by his Mother, Hilary Ortega; Siblings, Dominic Ortega, Anathea Ortega, Edmund-Anthony Ortega and wife, Irene Ortega, Stephen Ortega and wife, Nydia Ortega, Randal Ortega and wife, Meghan Mascarenas Ortega; Grandmother, Sylvia Ortega; Aunts, Tammie Fowler, Leticia Gronlund; several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Edmund V Ortega.

Andrew, much like his namesake-- Saint Andrew, sought to bring people to the Lord through his gentle words and selfless actions. Andrew was very devoted to his Catholic faith with a particular devotion to Saint Thomas Becket who died for his faith.

Andrew was the 5th born out of 6 children to Hilary and Edmund Ortega. Coming from such a large household, one can imagine that Andrew was big on family and quality time together. He would do anything for any of his siblings and loved his nieces as if they were his own children.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and worked as a RN for 12 years. His passion for serving others was demonstrated by how well he worked with his cancer patients while working at Presbyterian Hospital. He was working on fulfilling his dreams of becoming a nurse anesthetist. He also earned a Certificate in Massage Therapy in 2002.

Andrew was a very compassionate, thoughtful, and generous soul who loved his family with all that he was. He had a goofy sense of humor that made everyone laugh. Andrew loved people and cared deeply about their feelings. He had a way of interacting with others that made everyone around him feel welcomed and accepted. Andrew was also very meticulous—he would do a ton of research before making any decisions, big or small. Once his choice was made, he was all in.

Many people may not know this, but Andrew absolutely loved cars, especially fast cars. In fact, he owned a Hyundai Genesis coupe, but he drove really, really slow! Andrew was an avid skier, he loved hiking, and was always up for any adventure.