Amelia Serna Aragon

February 6, 1928 - April 15, 2022

Amelia Serna Aragon—known to most as Molly or Grandma Molly—peacefully passed on April 15 after 94 years of a life well-lived. Amelia Serna was born February 6, 1928 in Dilia, New Mexico to Leopoldo Serna and Genoveva Samora. She was the sixth of seven siblings. After Genoveva’s passing in 1933 and when Leopoldo was working cattle drives, the seven siblings took care of each other with the help of other families; Amelia shared fond stories of playing in dirt fields and making pink tortillas with the clay-rich water near their house. Amelia grew up and moved to Fort Collins, married José Adolfo Aragon in 1953, and began building the adoring family and world of friends that gathered from far and wide to say goodbye in her final days. Her legacy includes six spectacular children: Joe (Debbie), Lupe (Eric), Dee, Lorraine (Robin), and Frank (Tova), with one son, Manuel (Marlene), predeceasing her. Amelia’s husband José passed away in 1960. On her own, Amelia raised her children to be respectful, to abide meaningful rules, and ultimately, to love and care for one another. She also took care of the kids and other parents of the neighborhood, fostered long-lasting friendships, and supported her church. And she did all this while also building a modest yet stable livelihood. She did much of this through sheer stubbornness, but her ability to nurture community was also vital. As for her children, they truly are spectacular (and never miss the opportunity to remind you!). To meet and spend time with her children, who she had lately come to refer to as her “senior citizens,” is to glimpse the perseverance, care, and unconditional love that characterized Amelia’s life. Amelia became Grandma Molly also on April 15, 45 years ago, and eventually was the proud and loving abuelita to a total of 15 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Grandma Molly’s house was where family and friends went for care and food; celebrated holidays; grieved the loss of loved ones; over-ate Sunday breakfasts and, subsequently, napped on the couch; fought and forgave; and, most of all, laughed together—so much love-filled and life-affirming laughter. Her house was a home in the fullest sense of the term: it was a place that made you feel grounded in the world, valued, and, above all, safe. Grandma Molly loved talking and laughing with friends, cooking for family, tending her yard and garden, and sewing and doing embroidery. She was a woman rich with love for and from her family and friends. Amelia was also quick to tell you not to sanctify her, to not call her an angel. She was a devout Catholic, an active member and supporter of Holy Family Church for many years, and a person who strived to live the word of God. But she was also a human, made mistakes, and bore regrets. To sanctify Amelia is to miss her humanity, diminish her struggles and perseverance, and, ultimately, dampen the light she created in the world. Amelia need not be a saint to have lived a good or even exceptional life, to have made the world a warmer and safer place, to have lived the word of God. Still, it is difficult to not evangelize Amelia’s way of being in the world. She had an uncanny gift for making people feel at home, safe in an uncertain world, unconditionally loved. It is no exaggeration to say that she created and nurtured much love in this world. And though she will be deeply mourned and missed, her love will live on—after her life, after all of ours. Amelia Serna Aragon, Mom, Grandma Molly, may you rest in peace, may you rest in unending love, may you rest in the care of God. Services to honor the life of Amelia will be held at Holy Family Church on Tuesday, April 26, beginning with the rosary at 9:30 a.m. and followed by mass. Burial will take place at Grandview Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. A Summer celebration of her life with family and friends will take place in early July.