With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Paulett Marie McCabe, who went home to be with her Lord and Savior on July 27, 2026, surrounded by love and prayer.

Paulett was born on April 14, 1972, in Grants, New Mexico, to Herman Ray McCabe Jr. and Darlene Gail Rhoderick. She spent much of her childhood in Grants while also living in Cahone, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a young girl, she looked up to her older brother and treasured the time they spent together. Though her childhood brought many changes and hardships, she carried with her the values she learned in a faith-filled home. Those experiences helped shape the compassion, resilience, and unwavering faith that defined the woman she became. Some of her happiest childhood memories were spending summers with her grandparents, Herman and Pauline McCabe, attending family reunions, camping, and making memories with her Colorado cousins.

Paulett attended school for Early Childhood Education, where her love for children continued to grow. She also earned a welding certificate from Pueblo Community College, proudly standing as the only woman in her class. She had a remarkable vocabulary and an incredibly curious mind. While spelling wasn’t always her strongest skill, words fascinated her. Ask her the meaning of almost any word, and she could explain it with confidence. She had a unique gift for understanding people, conversations, and the world around her.

Helping others wasn’t simply something Paulett did—it was who she was. She believed that to truly help someone, you first had to understand where they had been. She wasn’t afraid to meet people in the darkest seasons of their lives, often walking beside those who felt forgotten or had nowhere else to turn. Whether helping someone off the streets regain hope, sharing God’s love, offering a warm meal, or simply listening without judgment, she had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, valued, and worthy of love. She gave of herself freely, even when it sometimes meant giving more than she had.

Paulett lived with chronic pain and was disabled for many years, enduring four back surgeries throughout her lifetime. Yet even on the hardest days, she rarely allowed her pain to keep her from the people she loved. Her perseverance and determination were extraordinary, and her strength became an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

She found joy in life’s simple pleasures. Every morning began with a cup of coffee, her Bible, and Joyce Meyer. She loved camping, reading Scripture, collecting rocks, buttons, coins, and little treasures that reminded her of someone she loved. If something didn’t have a purpose, she could usually turn it into a craft. She loved Little Debbie snacks, afternoon naps, and her beloved dogs, who always held a special place in her heart.

More than anything, Paulett loved bringing people together. Her home was a place where family naturally gathered. Whether around the fire pit, at backyard barbecues, outdoor picnics, or crowded around a swimming pool that seemed almost as big as her trailer, she wanted everyone together. She always had crafts ready for her grandchildren, making sure little hands stayed busy creating something special. She had a way of making ordinary days feel like cherished memories.

Her children and grandchildren were the center of her world. No matter how much pain she was in, she found the strength to get on the floor, play, laugh, and entertain her babies. Her grandchildren lovingly knew her as “Grangra,” and they will forever cherish the silly nicknames she created for each of them, the funny ways she pronounced their names, and the unconditional love she poured into every moment they shared together.

Paulett was unforgettable. She had a beautiful smile that could light up a room, a contagious laugh, and a personality that refused to fit inside anyone else’s expectations. She was hilarious, stubborn, adventurous, free-spirited, generous, and unapologetically herself. She never worried much about what other people thought. Whether she was loudly reminding one of her kids to “blow your nose!” as she dropped them off at school, pretending not to notice the little rat tail she had secretly left after cutting one of her children’s hair, or accidentally drawing attention to herself with one of her famously loud coughs in the grocery store, she kept those around her laughing. Her greatest joy was seeing the people she loved smile.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Darlene Gail Rhoderick; her father, Herman Ray McCabe Jr.; and her stepmother, Renate McCabe.

She is lovingly survived by her husband, Rogelio Brito-Villar; her stepsons, Michael Brito, Anthony Ward, Jesse Ward, and Kevin Ward; her children, Christopher McCabe, Breanna McCabe, and Jeremy McCabe; her brother, Russell McCabe and his wife, Karen; her uncle and aunt, Ron and Debra McCabe; her nephew, James McCabe and his wife, Toria; her niece, Isabel McCabe; her great-niece, Letti McCabe; her step-siblings, Tammy Ryan and Tony Will; and her beloved grandchildren, Jesse, Clover, Dawsyn, Miles, Adrienne, Major, Moxxie, Maverick, Messer, Armani, and Noelle.

Though her family will miss her deeply, they find comfort in knowing she is finally free from pain and resting in the presence of the Lord she loved so faithfully. Her legacy lives on through every act of kindness, every life she touched, every grandchild she adored, and every person she reminded that they were worthy of love.

“Well done, good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:23

Forever our Mom. Forever our Grangra. Forever in our hearts.

A celebration of Paulett’s life will be held on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at Ertel Funeral Home Chapel followed by interment in Cahone Cemetery. Following will be a potluck and reception at the Lewis Arriola Community Center. Family and friends are warmly invited to attend.