Leonila Duran Serna

Leonila Durán Serna, 85 died peacefully in her sleep on September 1, 2025. Leonila was born in El Salto, Arroyo Seco, New Mexico in 1940 to Román and Maria Eufemia Durán. She was the youngest of five children and did not speak English when she entered Arroyo Seco Elementary. She attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and then transferred to Taos Junior High School. She graduated from Taos High School in 1959 and New Mexico Highlands University in 1962. In 1962 she married Ramon (Ray) Serna, Jr. and was married to him for 53 years.

Leonila was an educator and administrator for 50-plus years. She taught at Villanueva Elementary; Acequia Madre Elementary; Arroyo Hondo Elementary; and then at Taos Elementary. She studied in Guadalajara, Mexico and Madrid, Spain. She soon became a favorite for her bilingual skills and joined the first Bilingual Education Department at the Taos Schools. In 1972, she became a Ford Foundation Fellow developing bilingual curriculum for schools across the nation. She returned to the Taos Schools becoming Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Director of Federal Programs, Interim Superintendent, and Superintendent. After the Taos Schools, she worked for the Taos News, UNM Taos, and then spent over 20 years as a teacher, reading specialist, and instructional coach at the Taos Pueblo Day School.

She was the first woman superintendent of the Taos Municipal Schools and was an educational innovator who opened the door for many New Mexican women to become administrators. She served as the Board Chair of the School Superintendent’s Association (AASA); Board Member of the Southwest Regional Education Cooperative; and a judge for the best libraries in the U.S. with the American Library Association among her accolades. She was appointed by Governor Richardson to serve on the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission. In addition, she was a board member of the Taos Community Foundation, the Taos Historic Museums, parciante of the Anderson Ditch Association, and a member of the El Salto del Agua Association. She is fondly remembered for her expertise, kindness, wit, and dedication. She loved reading and traveling, visiting five continents treasuring her visits to Spain, China, Russia, Peru, Egypt, and Israel and loved her three visits to Venice and Rome (attending two papal masses).

She is preceded in death by her husband Ramon (Ray) Serna, Jr., parents Román and Maria Eufemia Durán, brother Maurilio (Margaret) Durán, sister Angelina (José D.) Pacheco, sister Fabiola Durán, and newborn sister Joan Diane Durán.

She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Madelyn Serna Mármol, grandsons Rafael Marmol, III and Ramón Mármol, granddaughter-in-law Mariah Chee Mármol, great-granddaughter Sofía Mármol, brother Manuel Librado (Marlene) Durán, several cherished godchildren and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and best friends.

A rosary will be held on September 19, 2025 at 6PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. A mass will be held the next day on September 20, 2025 at 10AM with burial to follow at Arroyo Seco Cemetery.