Ida Aline Rajotte

Ida Aline Rajotte, a familiar face to visitors and residents of downtown Santa Fe for many years, passed away peacefully in her sleep early in the morning of Tuesday, September 16, 2025, just two months shy of her 95th birthday. Family and friends who were lucky to have known her will remember her for the abundant kindness, warmth, and joy that made you feel like you were the most special person in the world – because, to her, you really were.

Born in Bristol, Connecticut, to Lucien and Antoinette (Gagne) Rajotte and proud older sister of Marcel and Norman, Ida attended boarding school in Nicolet, Québec at the Collège Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption, from which she graduated in 1947. After marrying and raising a daughter and four sons, the family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, in the mid-1970s and then to Santa Fe, where Ida fell in love with the city and its people, embracing the Impressionistic collage of cultures, traditions, music, art, and food with gusto.

As she came into her own as a strong and independent woman, Ida took on the duties of a “mom away from home” to students at St. John’s College, where she worked in the kitchen. She became famous for always ensuring a copy of the day’s Doonesbury strip was available on the dining hall sign-in table at breakfast, and she would often invite her favorite students over to her house for home-cooked meals.

For many years, Ida was the familiar face behind the counter of the La Fonda Newsstand in the La Fonda Hotel, where she became a trusted resource for all the latest news and gossip about where to go and what to do. There, she met many celebrities, including Goldie Hawn, Roger Miller, and Sam Shepard – from whom she was able to request a coveted autograph. She was a regular at the French Pastry Shop, and she was known to treat herself – and lucky friends – to the occasional piñon roll from Señor Murphy’s candy shop. Her cloud of curly white hair was as iconic as her turquoise and silver jewelry, which she purchased from vendors on the Plaza who she knew by name.

She lavished the same attention to artistic detail on her house, which she transformed with Taos furniture, Saltillo tile, tin work, and a whimsical blend of thrift-store finds mixed with fine art – including Georgia O’Keefe posters and an R.C. Gorman original (he was a friend, too, of course). Her door was always open, and she reveled in time spent with friends and family who came to visit, going out to dinner and hanging out in the backyard sharing stories and laughter. And she was never afraid to give — and receive – honest advice.

In her later years, she shared the warm and comforting space she had made with her beloved dog Zoe. Her sons Dave and Norm took wonderful care of Ida in her final years, and in her caregiver Caroline Jaramillo, she found her long-lost “older” sister. The good folks at Anvoi Hospice, particularly her nurse John, looked after her at home.

She left us as she had lived – on her own terms, and in her own time.

Ida is survived by her brothers Marcel and Norman and their children; her sons David, Norman, and Paul and his wife Mary Jo; and her grandchildren Brandon and Bryan. She was pre-deceased by her daughter Gloria and son Michael.

In remembrance of Ida’s life, the family encourages those who wish to express their sympathy to consider making a donation to the Harvey Cornell Rose Park in Santa Fe (https://wanderlog.com/place/details/1834955/harvey-cornell-rose-park). Ida loved visiting her “rose garden,” and in fact her last outing was to the park. Please make checks payable to The Santa Fe Rose Society and mail to Flicka Slade, Treasurer, 4236 Sundance St., Santa Fe, NM 87505. On the check, please note “In Memory of Ida Rajotte.” The rose bushes will be purchased and planted in the spring by members of the Santa Fe Rose Society.

Visitation will take place October 2, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Rivera Family Funeral & Cremations of Santa Fe, followed by a funeral service from 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The burial service will take place at Santa Fe Memorial Gardens at 1:00 p.m., followed by a reception.