Eileen Sadie Candelaria was born on March 26, 1944, in Placerville, Colorado, to Andreas Duran and Lucia Valdez. She was one of eleven children and spent her early years in Telluride before moving to Ignacio, where she graduated from high school in 1962. She briefly attended Fort Lewis College before beginning a long and dedicated career with the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), where she worked for 30 years.

Following her retirement from the BIA, Eileen was asked to return to work by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, where she served as a contract specialist for approximately five years.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Jake J. Candelaria, in 2014; her son, Jake G. Candelaria, in 2021; and several of her siblings. She is survived by her son, Robert; her grandchildren Jessica, Jacob, Emma, Ethan, Julianna, and Annabella; her siblings Chris, Jack, Martha, Corinne, and Mick; as well as several great-grandchildren.

A private family service will be held at a later date.