Joanne Lara Ortega, 64, surrounded by family, gained her wings on Feb. 13, 2022. Joanne was born Feb. 7, 1958, to Brigido Lara, Jr., and Mary B. Lara. She was raised in Fort Davis, Texas, and attended all school years at Fort Davis schools.

Due to health reasons, she moved to San Angelo, Texas, where she lived with her son. Joanne was former Justice of the Peace for Pct. 1 in Fort Davis, former physical plant employee at Mc-Donald Observatory, and secretary/bookkeeper at Jeff Davis County Court House. She studied at Sul Ross State University in Alpine.

She married the love of her life, Robert (Crockett) Ortega, and from that marriage her son Robert Ortega, Jr., was born. She loved the most important job of her life, and that was taking care of her son. She loved to cook, spend time praying for her many friends and for people she had never met before. She was a woman of God, and would always have a powerful prayer that would help people when they were going through hard times.

She enjoyed playing poker with her poker friends, and we all know she loved her Dallas Cowboys. She would always say, “Dallas Cowboy fan for life.”

We will miss seeing her Facebook postings right before a Dallas Cowboy game, “Do not disturb. Cowboys are playing,” and the daily prayers she would post on Facebook.

She also loved the children she babysat and their families. She loved being a mother figure to all of Robert’s friends. While in Fort Davis, she would attend Church of the Mountains, where her faith in God grew. Recently, she would listen to services at River of Life Church in Eastland, Texas. She was just a woman of faith, and was very much at peace in her final days and moments.

Joanne is survived by her son who she dearly loved, Robert Ortega, Jr., of San Angelo, Texas; her father Brigido Lara, Jr., of Cisco, Texas; sisters Polly Jarratt (Tony) of San Angelo, and Teresa Gallegos (Sammy) of Cisco, Texas; brothers Henry Lara of Fort Davis, and Rudy Lara of Dallas, Texas; several nieces and nephews whom she loved as her own; God sister Deborah Sherwood of Imperial, Texas; and her fur grandbaby, Ayra.

She was preceded in death by her husband Robert “Crockett;” her mother Mary Lara; and her paternal and maternal grandparents.

Graveside services will be held at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Fort Davis on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, at noon with officiant Deacon Ron Truax.

Pallbearers will be Jay Jarratt, Brian Jarratt, Bart Jarratt, David Lara, Henry Lara, Jr., Ashton Balyeat, Ivan Rodriguez, and Wesley Molinar.

Honorary pallbearers will be Andy Le Vere, Eric Cancino, Sammy Gallegos, Jr., and Tate Nicholas.

Online condolences may be left at alpinememorialfuneralhome.com.

Services have been entrusted to Alpine Memorial Funeral Home.