Eddie Ortiz

Eddie (Peabody) Ortiz, 92, died peacefully at his daughter's home in Santa Fe, NM on September 3rd, 2026. 

He was well known for his good humor and friendly disposition. Peabody will be missed by all who knew him. Born in Santa Fe NM on June 14th, 1934, to Alfredo Ortiz and Corina (Chavez) Ortiz, where he was the oldest of 3 children. He was a 12th generation Santa Fean and a direct descendant of Nicolas Ortiz the III who came to Santa Fe in 1694 with a Spanish Land Grand of what is part of Santa Fe today. He grew up with his two sisters, Theresa and Virginia, on Acequia Madre and could remember a time when there were no streetlights and stables with burros where a part of his neighborhood.

 He graduated from St Michael's high school in 1953 where he enjoyed playing basketball and then from St. Michael's College. St. Michael's College became the College of Santa Fe in 1966. He joined the Army and was stationed in Chicago where he made lifelong friends. He married L. Anne Reeves and had two children, Elizabeth and Christopher. Early in his career he worked for the Bureau of Land Management in Denver Colorado and would finish his career working for the New Mexico Highway Department District 5 as the district administrator. 

He enjoyed traveling and attending celebrations with his girlfriend Inez Olivas. They would spend 52 meaningful years together. To use his terminology, he was a tough bird. He survived colon cancer and a heart attack on a dance floor. Despite such setbacks he kept enjoying life and making the people around him happy.

A rosary will be held and St. Johns Church at 10am on Tuesday October 6th followed by a mass at 11am. A reception will be held at the Elks Lodge in Santa Fe from 12pm to 4pm on October 6th. He will be buried at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 2pm on October 6th.