Each year, History Colorado hosts an altar in its lobby to honor the dead for Dia de los Muertos. People can bring items for the altar, write about those who have passed, or just sit and remember the dead.

This year, the museum is honoring Rita Flores de Wallace, who died in April and was known as Denver’s “First Lady” of Mexican folk art. Her widower, John “Juanito” Wallace, was at History Colorado on Friday as the altar was built.

“She is my life. I got involved in all these community activities — and it wasn’t just Latinos, she was in everything,” Wallace said. “Her artwork is all over the place too. So a lot of it sold, some of it was given away, some of it’s in the library or the museum and I still have some too.”

Flores de Wallace’s career stretched over 40 years, and she is credi

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