Benjamin Neill Ortega

Benjamin Neill Ortega passed away at dawn September 29, 2025. Ben was born December 26, 1932, and lived most of his life in the beautiful City of Santa Fe, NM.

Ben graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1950 and later earned an Associate Degree from UNM. In 1953, Ben traveled on the USS Alexander to Germany as a member of the US Army, and was stationed at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt where he worked as a dental technician. Upon Ben's return to Albuquerque in 1956, he managed Dial Finance and shortly thereafter opened the NM Finance Corp with his partner Frank Wright, with offices in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Espanola and Los Lunas. In 1968, Ben opened Capital Finance in Santa Fe, as well as becoming a franchisee for National Car Rental with offices located at the Santa Fe Airport, Sheraton Hotel and Los Alamos. In 1975, Ben's entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase the Hickory Farms franchise in Santa Fe where he employed his children & many of their young friends. Along the way, working with his friend Stan Evans, he was involved in real estate development and built commercial buildings. Around 1980, as a man with many interests and talents, he taught himself to draw building and home architectural plans, and obtained his GB-98 Contractors license. From then on Ben did what he loved; drew plans, built homes with and for his family, traveled to his condo on Maui, entertained friends and family at his cabin on the Pecos River, and played golf with his friends. Throughout his life he could always be found working on some new project in his garage and even enjoyed making silver and turquoise jewelry. Ben loved dogs and grieved the loss of every single one. Ben will be missed for the gentleman he was, his calm demeanor and good-natured sense of humor. Ben is now happy to be free to explore his new afterlife & no doubt he is appreciative to have had such a great life here on earth.

Ben will be forever remembered by his wife of 67 years, Helen; his daughter Lorri Hatcher (Scott); his sons Robert Ortega (JoAnn) and Scott Ortega (Dong Mei); grandchildren Benjamin Ortega, Ryan Gorman (Meghan), and Madison Ortega; bonus grandchildren Lauren Barnett (Dan), Sonja Swaynie (Alex); and great grandchildren, Charles & Max Gorman, and Claire Barnett. Ben was the son of Ben and Ina Ortega, and grandson of Don Victor (delegate to the NM Convention that produced the NM Constitution in 1910) and Refugio Ortega.

Oct 21, 2025 - Mass of Christian Burial, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, 11:00am; Interment – SF National Cemetery 1:30; Gathering of friends & family 2:00 – 4:30, location to be announced.