Our Heavenly Father has called upon his beautiful daughter, Ernestine S. Medina, to come home to be held in His loving arms amongst all His angels. Ernestine received her angel wings early Saturday morning on February 10th, 2024.

Ernestine S. Medina was born to Jose H. Smith of Las Cruces, NM, and Marta M. Smith of Zacatecas, Mexico on April 28th, 1934, in Las Cruces, NM. She graduated from Las Cruces Union High School in 1953.

On January 30th, 1954, she married the love of her life, Danny M. Medina, and had four daughters. Ernestine was an outstanding member of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary Council 1226 since 1975. She helped run the family business as the bookkeeper for Hiebert's Fine Foods Restaurant for 40 years. She was very well known for decorating the restaurant for every holiday, especially on Veteran's Day.

Ernestine enjoyed traveling with her husband to many different places such as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Belarus, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Russia, England, France, Gibraltar, Morocco, China, Canada, and many more places in the US. She enjoyed camping with her family and friends, playing horseshoes, swimming, sewing, leading wedding marches, dancing, listening to mariachi music, watching the Dallas football games as well as the local high school football games that she would attend every Friday night with Danny. Ernestine loved spending quality time with her husband, children, grandchildren, and dog, Daisy Mae.

Ernestine loved and cherished her family the most. She is survived by her three daughters Anna D. Medina, Erica M. Gabalis, and Yvonne Flores (spouse Hilario Flores), five granddaughters Katlyn Gabalis, Katrina Gabalis, Melissa Farrugia, Nesha Sowers, and Nicole, one grandson, Nathan Sowers, several great-grandchildren, her brother Victor Smith (spouse Julie Smith), and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Danny M. Medina, her daughter Marta "Nana" O. Sowers, granddaughter Katalina Gabalis, great-granddaughter Hillary Farruggia, sister Mary Smith, brother Jose Smith (spouse Dorothy Smith), and her parents Jose and Marta Smith.

In memory of our beautiful mother, Ernestine S. Medina, a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, please take good care of your loved ones, give someone you love a hug and tell them you love them. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for blessing our lives with such a strong woman, she lived her life with faith, kindness, humility, courage, strength, hard work, hope, and love. On behalf of all the family, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your love, prayers, and support during this incredibly sad and difficult time. She has gone to her forever home to be with our Good Lord and her "Sugar". We know she is at peace and now we all have another beautiful angel above to watch over us. Per her request, there will be no services at this time. The family is asking that if you can, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association in memory of Ernestine S. Medina.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Las Cruces and Sunset Crematory, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com