Mary Ann Saiz

Services for Mary Ann Saiz will be held at 10am Saturday, October 10, 2015 at The Church on The Hill in Fort Sumner with Buddy Hall officiating. Burial will follow at Fort Sumner Cemetery. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Jason Saiz, Jared Dees, Jacob Saiz, Luke Cortese, Arron Cortese, Deion Lopez, and Tristen Cortese. Honorary bearers will include Perry Lopez Jr., James Devenport, and all her grandchildren. Visitation hours will be Friday from 1pm to 6pm at the funeral home. Mary Ann Saiz, 80 of Fort Sumner, NM passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at Farwell Convalescent Center following an illness. She was born November 27, 1934 in Edgemont, Arkansas to the home of Domer Vernon and Susan Mae (Majors) Birdsong. She left Edgemont at age 15 and moved with her family to Flagstaff, AZ, Datil, Quemado, and Reserve, NM before moving to Fort Sumner in 1956. Mary Ann married Melton Eloye Saiz Sr. on June 1, 1957 in Clovis. She worked with her family managing the Rio Pecos and Flying Twins Truck Stops in Fort Sumner for many years. As a family business operator she worked as the bookkeeper, waitress, and even pumped fuel if needed. Mary Ann was raised in the Church of God. She attended The Church on The Hill in Fort Sumner. Mary Ann loved her family and enjoyed spending time and caring for her grandchildren. She enjoyed reading, watching TV and gardening, her family said she planted every vegetable under the sun. She was also a talented seamstress and made many of her children's clothing. She is preceded in death by her parents, D.V. and Susan Mae Birdsong, great-granddaughter Mercey Jade Cortese, two sisters Margie Mae Claborn, and Shirley Saiz, a brother Robert Calvin Birdsong, and a niece Carlene Ratliff. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister, Mary Ann is survived by her husband Melton Saiz Sr. of the family home in Fort Sumner, a son Melton Saiz Jr. of Fort Sumner, four daughters Elaine Cortese, Diann Dees, both of Fort Sumner, Leisa Joan Saiz of Scottsdale, AZ, and Melva Devenport of Clovis. Also surviving is a brother Sammy Birdsong Sr. and his wife Isabel of Mesa, AZ, two sisters-in-law Marsha Birdsong of Plainview, TX, Angie Saiz of Amarillo, TX, three brothers-in-law Bill Claborn of Camp Verde, AZ, Ramon Saiz and wife Stella of Houston, TX, Jimmy Saiz and wife Joe of Amarillo, TX, 14 grandchildren Stormy Mazeikas (Mike) of Coolidge, AZ, Jennifer Parra (Will) of Phoenix, AZ, Perry Lopez Jr. of Coolidge, AZ, Tasha Wilcox (Brent) of Farwell, TX, Salina Saiz (Nikko Carrol), Jacob Saiz, Nicole Cortese (Vince Sena), Arron Cortese, Luke Cortese (Dawna), Jason Saiz (Quannah), and Jared Dees (Marissa Quesada) all of Fort Sumner, James Devenport, Megan Devenport both of Clovis, and Cordell Northrup of Melrose. Other survivors include 23 great-grandchildren with one on the way along with numerous nieces, nephews, a host of other relatives and many friends. Arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home, 830 N. Fifth Street, Fort Sumner, NM. (575) 355-2311. To place an online tribute or sign the guestbook, go to www.chavezfuneralhome.com