Ramona Benavides, 78 of Sterling passed away on Monday, March 26, 2018 at the Sterling Regional MedCenter. Visitation will be held from 10 am to 4 pm, Thursday, March 29 followed by a Vigil and recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7 pm at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, March 30 at Chaney-Reager Funeral Home with Vicky Resendiz, Ordained Minister officiating. Burial will follow at the Riverside Cemetery.

Ramona was born August 27, 1939 in Julesburg, Colorado to Patricio and Marcelina Guerra Estrada. She married Eulalio "Lalo" Benavides on November 22, 1974. She worked at the Sterling Country Club from 1975 until 1980. She started as a housekeeper and ended her career there working in the kitchen. Ramona started a new career working at the Rose Arbor/Sterling Living Center from 1980 until 2000. She started out as a housekeeper, and then went on to be a nurse's aide. She later obtained her Certified Nurse's Aide certificate. Ramona worked many years as an aide and later transferred to the kitchen where she finished her career.

She loved dancing, listening to Mexican music, and her favorite pass times included Bingo and garage sales. She especially enjoyed watching and rooting for the Colorado Rockies and Denver Broncos. Ramona also enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. Spending time with her family and grandchildren was one of the most important things to her. She would host family functions and her home was full of love, laughter and so many people, that it was standing room only!

She is preceded in death by her parents, Patricio and Marcelina; husband, "Lalo" who passed away on February 4, 1978; son, Michael Estrada; sister, Helen Estrada Flores; brothers, Manuel Estrada, Albert Estrada, Henry Estrada and Cesario Estrada; and sister-in-law, Evangelina Estrada and brother-in-law, Francisco Serrano.

Ramona is survived by her son, Tony (Jeri) Estrada of Sterling; grandchildren, Marcus Estrada of Florida, Steven (Theresa) Estrada of Denver, James (Analisa) Estrada of Utah, Christian Holloway of Sterling and Amanda Holloway of Wray; great grandchildren, Marcelina and Ramon Estrada of Denver and Joah Estrada of Utah; brothers and sisters, Phyllis Perez of Modesto, CA, Mary (Arellio) Garcia of Florida, Robert (Rita) Estrada of Arizona, Patricia (John) Rodriguez of Sterling, Julia Serrano of Iliff, and Arthur (Louisa) Estrada of Sterling and numerous nieces and nephews.

Contributions may be made to the Ramona Benavides Memorial Fund in care of Chaney-Reager Funeral Home, PO Box 1046, Sterling, CO 80751.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Chaney-Reager Funeral Home.