Mary Ellen Whiteley
Graveside services for Mary Ellen Bethany Whiteley, 72, of Ruidoso, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Forest Lawn Cemetery, with Bobbie Dobbs officiating.
Mrs. Whiteley died Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004, at Lincoln County Medical Center.
She was born in El Paso on Oct. 24, 1931.
She spent her youth at the Southwestern Children’s Home. For a few years after that she called Ruidoso home, and has resided at the Ruidoso Care Center since moving here from Sacramento, Calif., in July 1999.
Survivors include a daughter, Janet N. Ellis, and her husband, Jay, of Ruidoso; a granddaughter, Treasa Hicks, and her husband, Buck, of Greenville, Texas; a great-granddaughter, Brittany Barker, of Emory, Texas; a brother, Jim Bethany, and his wife, Edna, of New Hampton, Iowa; a niece; a nephew; and many great-nieces and -nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents William E. and Ethel Bethany; and a brother, William.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Betty Peterson
A memorial service for Betty Peterson, 79, a part-time Ruidoso resident, will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at Community United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Peterson died Oct. 15, 2004, in Odessa, Texas, after a lengthy illness.
She was born Betty Girvin on April 24, 1925. She grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and moved to the Southwest as an adult.
She was active in Girl Scouting as a troop leader and camp counselor. She later became a successful district manager for Avon Products. She loved the Ruidoso area, enjoying horse racing and fishing.
Survivors include a sister, Eleanor Beck, of Ithaca, N.Y.; a son, William G. Peterson, of Austin, Texas; a daughter, Beverly Peterson, of Alto; and grandchildren Christina and Jason Humphries, Lindy Crapps and Lacy Peterson.
Rudy Keith Lee
Burial for Rudy Keith Lee, 54, of Alto, was at Lawn Haven Memorial Gardens in Clovis on Oct. 18.
Mr. Lee died Oct. 14 in a motorcycle accident outside Ruidoso.
He was born on March 8, 1950, in Clovis, to Cleovis Lee and Norma Lockmiller.
He worked in construction in New Mexico before moving to Juneau, Alaska, where he lived for 22 years. In Juneau he worked as the "Mac Tool Man,” and as a commercial fisherman. He was later employed aboard Alaska Marine Highway vessels as a steward and then as ordinary seaman. He also served as the ship’s delegate for the Inland Boatman’s Union of the Pacific. He retired from the M/V Kennicott in 2002.
His passion was his motorcycle.
Survivors include a son, Alan Lee, of Roswell; his mother, Norma Townsend, of Clovis; his stepfather, Richard Townsend, of Clovis; a sister, Janice Wilson, and her husband, Jerry, of Ruidoso; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father and his grandparents.
Dorothy McCabe Mengel
Cremation services for Dorothy Jane “Dee” McCabe Mengel, 74, were performed by Memory Gardens Direct Disposition of Carlsbad.
Mrs. Mengel died Oct. 12 at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo.
She was born Sept. 6, 1930, in Marfa, Texas, to Allen Marshall McCabe and Dorothy Mitchell McCabe. She lived in El Paso for 45 years, then Albuquerque and Ruidoso, to where she moved in 2002.
She attended Marfa Public Schools, graduated from The Hockaday School in Dallas and graduated from Texas Western College of Mines with a bachelor of arts degree.
She married George Herndon Mengel in El Paso.
Survivors include children Gaye Catherine Basom and her husband, Bob, of Albuquerque, Guy Marshall Mengel and his wife, Linda, of Bealton, Va., Georganne Quier and her husband, Dan, of Chandler, Ariz., Mark McCabe Mengel and his wife, Tracy, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Mary Talsma of Ruidoso; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband; and a sister, Mary Catherine Cartwright, of Mesa, Ariz.
Estevan (Steve) Garcia
Funeral Mass for Estevan (Steve) Garcia, 39, will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Joseph’s Mission in Mescalero, followed by burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruidoso. A Celebration of Life luncheon will follow at St. Eleanor’s Catholic Church in Ruidoso.
Mr. Garcia died Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004.
He was born July 17, 1965.
He will always be remembered as a kind and gentle heart who traveled to the beat of his own drum.
Survivors include his mother, Nieves Garcia, of Ruidoso; sisters Elizabeth Garcia of Ruidoso and Deborah Garcia of Irving, Texas; brothers Ricardo Garcia of Arlington, Texas, and Jerry Garcia Jr. and his family; a sister-in-law, Terry Garcia; nephews Ezekiel and Nicodemus Garcia of Irving Texas; a host of uncles, aunts, cousins; and numerous friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Jerry S. Garcia.
Ruben J. Sandoval
Visitation for Ruben J. Sandoval, 84, of Ruidoso Downs will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. today at LaGrone Funeral Chapel in Ruidoso. Funeral services will be at 5 p.m. at St. Eleanor's Catholic Church, with burial on Monday at Santa Fe National Cemetery.
Mr. Sandoval died Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004, in Ruidoso.
He was born Dec. 27, 1919, in Chimayo.
He moved to Lincoln County 20 years ago from the Los Alamos-Chimayo area.
He served in the Navy during World War II, was a member of the Lincoln County Medical Center Auxiliary, Neighborhood Watch in Ruidoso Downs, Knights of Columbus in Ruidoso and Chimayo, American Legion in Ruidoso and Espanola, a charter member of the Chimayo Volunteer Fire Department, an active member of the Holy Name Society at Chimayo, and worked as an accountant at the Los Alamos Labs for 33 years.
He married Adeline Martinez on June 4, 1949, in Santa Cruz.
Survivors include his wife, Adeline, of Ruidoso Downs; daughters Christine Farrington of Ruidoso and Evelyn Jacquez of Espanola; a brother, Solomon Trujillo, of Chimayo; sisters Dora Vigil of Santa Fe and Flora Leyba of Santa Fe; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Gerald Sandoval.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Benjamin Aristeo Chavez
Visitation for Benjamin Aristeo Chavez, 66, of San Patricio will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at the Fountain of Living Water Chruch at San Patricio. A prayer service will be at 7 p.m.
The funeral service is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Fountain of Living Water Church, with burial to follow at the Hondo Cemetery. The Revs. Arturo Galvan and Eliseo Castillo will officiate.
Mr. Chavez died Monday, Nov. 8, 2004, in Lubbock.
He was born March 26, 1938, at San Patricio and lived all of his life in Lincoln County, except when he was in California from 1963 until 1974.
With his wife, he co-founded the Fountain of Living Water Church in 1974 and has served as the pastor since that time. A 1958 graduate of Hondo High School, he was owner-operator of Ole Taco in Ruidoso.
He married Luz Elva Mendoza on Dec. 31, 1959, in Alamogordo.
Survivors include his wife, of San Patricio; son Angel Chavez of San Patricio; brothers Israel Chavez of Mission Vejo, Calif., Raynard and Felix Chavez, both of Ruidoso, and Arturo, Monroy and Ruben Chavez of San Patricio; sisters Lydia Rue and Lillian Lopez of San Patricio, Maria Salas, Teresa Chavez and Adelina Payne of Ruidoso, and Dolores Carrillo of Tularosa; four grandchildren and one-great granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sylvia Roseanna Chavez, in 1992.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Eustacio H. Chavez
Visitation for Eustacio H. Chavez, 75, of Ruidoso will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Capitan, where the prayer service will begin at 7 p.m. The funeral mass will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, with burial to follow at the Capitan Cemetery. The Rev. Dave Bergs will officiate.
Mr. Chavez died Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Ruidoso.
He was born Dec. 31, 1928, at Capitan and lived in Lincoln County all of his life. He worked at the Ruidoso Care Center.
Survivors include two daughters, Crusita Delgado of Silver City and Yolanda McCarty of Capitan; his mother, Anita Chavez of Capitan; a sister, Helen Richardson of Socorro; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Joe M. Garcia
A funeral service for Joe M. “Byrd” Garcia, 53, of Alamogordo, was held Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Calvary Baptist Church. Pastor Rick Schulze officiated. Interment
followed in Monte Vista Ceremony.
Mr. Garcia died Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004, in Alamogordo.
He was born Jan. 1, 1951, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was a lifelong resident of Alamogordo. He attended Alamogordo High School and graduated from Granite Computer Institute.
He was the owner of Byrd’s Skate Shop from 1982 to 1998. He also worked at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Travel Center as a surveillance agent and administrative assistant.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Louanne Garcia; son Jeremy Garcia (and his wife, Dacia) and daughter, Larissa Garcia, both of Alamogordo; granddaughter Abrianna Garcia of Alamogordo; father Guadalupe Garcia Sr. (and his wife Lydia) of Alamogordo; sisters Christine Armenta (and husband Adolpho) and Marianne Garcia (and her husband Elias), both of Corpus Christi, Gracie Garcia of Alamogordo and Carrie Majors (and her husband Jeff) of Austin, Texas; brothers Guadalupe Garcia Jr. (and his wife Lola) and Gilbert Garcia, both of Alamogordo, David Garcia (and his wife Ana) and Romeo Botello, both of Corpus Christi, as well as Albert Botello and Gilbert Botello, both of Robstown, Texas; father-in-law Roy Overton of Orogrande; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Mr. Garcia was preceded in death by his mother, Carolina Botello, brother Robert and mother-in-law Dorothy Olinger.
Pallbearers for Wednesday’s ceremony were Guadalupe Garcia Jr., Gilbert Garcia, Ricardo Chavez, Josh Szwaczkowski, Daniel Szwaczkowski, Richard Martinez, Sonny Hansen and Hal Walker. Frank Sayger, Blair Amstutz and David Garcia were honorary pallbearers.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society. To send a tribute to the family, visit www.mem.com. Hamilton O-Dell Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Clarence Eugene Troeger
Visitation for Clarence Eugene Troeger, 90, of Ruidoso is scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church with burial to follow at Ft. Stanton Cemetery; the Rev. Kevin Krohn will officiate.
Mr. Troeger died Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Ruidoso.
He was born April 18, 1914, in Beverly, Kan., and served in the Army during World War II. He retired from the Post Office in Santa Monica, Calif., as a supervisor in 1973. He moved to Ruidoso in 1989 from Los Angeles, Calif.
He married Anna Lois Jefcoat on Aug. 28, 1914, in Jackson, Miss.
Survivors include his wife of Ruidoso; children Janis Troeger of San Jose, Calif., Kirk Troeger of Santa Maria, Calif., Karl Troeger of Ruidoso, Jeffrey Troeger and John Troeger of Palmdale, Calif., Paul Troeger of Los Angeles and Carla Cross of Sylmar, Calif.; brothers Alvin Troeger of Lincoln, Kan., and Norman Troeger of Beverly, Kan.; 12 grandchildren and three great granddaughters.
Memorial contributions may be made to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Alice Blakestad
Services will be held at a later date for Alice Blakestad, 78, of Hondo who died Friday, Dec. 3, in Ruidoso.
She was born February 15, 1926, at Monterrey, Mexico. She moved to Lincoln County 24 years ago from Dallas. She was a longtime member of the Lincoln County Historical Society and the Methodist Church, and she was a homemaker. She married Robert B. Blakestad on February 26, 1946, at Roswell.
Survivors include her husband Robert of Hondo; two sons, Robert B. Blakestad Jr. of Denver, CO and Rodney A. Blakestad of Tucson, AZ; two daughters, Layne Tobin of Brooksmith, TX and Elyse Beckman of Ruidoso; a sister, Ruth McPherson of Roswell and Warren Cobean of Connecticut; 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. The family has requested memorials to the Methodist Children's Home in Waco, Texas.
James Ely (Jake) Freeman
Graveside services for James Ely (Jake) Freeman will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at South Park Cemetery in Roswell. Services will be officiated by Pastor Phil Grassie of 1st Christian Church. Freeman, 96, died Dec. 4, 2004, at Casa Maria Health Care Center.
Mr. Freeman was born March 5, 1908, in Kennard, Texas. He was raised in San Angelo, TX. He was a contractor in the early years of his life. he built airports and highways, plus commercial buildings. While in San Angelo, he was an estimator and superintendent for J.D. Burk Company.
In 1976, he retired from contracting and moved to Ruidoso, NM, to work as an estimator for his son-in-law’s construction company. He lived in Ruidoso from 1976 to 1985. He retired in 1985 and moved to Roswell. He was a devoted caregiver to his wife in her last days.
Mr. Freeman was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Freeman, as well as his wife Noreen Freeman, and his granddaughter Tina Lea Dacy. Survivors include his son James Taylor Freeman of Dallas, TX; one sister, Lorene Young and her family of Dallas, TX; his daughter Sandra Dacy and husband Wayne of Roswell, NM; granddaughter Melisa Rapstine and husband Wes, and two great-grandsons, Michael and Colton Rapstine, of Granite Shoals, TX.
Survivors also include his very special companion Wilda Brown of Roswell, NM, and her sons, David Brown and wife Kathy of Centreville, VA, and Jimmy Brown of Odessa, TX.
Memorials may be made to the 1st Christian Church at 1500 S. Main, Roswell, or to a charity of choice. Arrangements are under the direction of La Grone Funeral Chapel & Crematory.
Ashley Reneé Goar
Visitation for Ashley Reneé Goar, 13, of Alto will be Wednesday, Dec. 8, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at LaGrone Funeral Chapel in Ruidoso with the funeral on Thursday, Dec. 9, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Ruidoso with burial to follow at the Ruidoso Hondo Valley Cemetery. Officiating will be the Rev. Tim Gilliland and Rev. Mark Davis.
The funeral procession from the church to the cemetery will be escorted by police units from several forces in addition to the Ruidoso Police Department, including: the New Mexico State Police, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Alamogordo DPS, Portales PD, Capitan PD, Lovington PD, Otero County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque PD, Dona Anna County Sheriff’s Office, Border Patrol, Roswell PD, and Socorro PD.
Ashley died Sunday, Dec. 5, in Albuquerque. She was born April 27, 1991, in Alamogordo and had lived in Lincoln County all of her life. She was a 7th grader at Ruidoso Middle School, member of Girl Scout Troop #21 and First Baptist Church.
Survivors include her parents, Dewayne and Darla Goar of Alto; a brother, Ty Goar of Alto; grandparents, Glenn and Lynda Goar of Mountainair, Carol Lang of Portales and Richard Lang of Florida; great grandparents, Evelyn Ham of Truth or Consequences and Pearl Goar of Mountainair.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Gary Don White
Memorial services for Gary Don White will be 10 a.m., Wednesday, at the 1st Church of the Nazarene, Wichita, KS. Mr. White, age 41, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004.
Survivors include, parents, Orin and Emily White of Wichita; sister, Dana Noseff of Bakersfield, CA; Cynthia Hudspeth and her husband, Jeff of Rose Hill; nephews, Allen and Steven Noseff, and Ryan Hudspeth; niece, Megan Hudspeth. Memorials may be made to the Ryan White Foundation.
Arrangements are under the direction of Broadway Mortuary, Wichita, KS.
David Monk
Memorial service for David Monk, 48, of Ruidoso Downs will be Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Ruidoso Downs with Rev. Randy Widener officiating. Mr. Monk died Tuesday, Dec. 7, in Ruidoso, he was born April 11, 1956 at Dallas, Texas. He moved to Lincoln County in April 1993 from Lawton, Okla. He attended First Baptist Church of Ruidoso Downs and loved to rock climb and stone cut.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Monk of Ruidoso Downs; mother, Pat Carnegie, Oklahoma; two brothers, Ricky Monk and Marty Monk and a sister, Karen Weaver.
Arrangements are under the direction of LaGrone Funeral Chapel of Ruidoso.
Hollis Nosker
Private graveside services for Hollis Nosker, 87, will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Nosker Family Cemetery in Ruidoso Valley, with eulogy by Kenneth Nosker. Visitation is today, Jan. 7, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ellis Funeral Home in Midland, Texas.
Hollis died Wednesday, Jan. 5. He was born on homesteaded land in Maupin, Oregon, on July 14, 1917. He grew up in the Ruidoso Valley, where he went to school and joined the Army. He was a Master Mason with the Lincoln County Lodge and had been a member for 50 years on April 1, 2003.
He was preceded in death by his parents Burtle and Willie Belle Winfree Nosker; sisters Mabel Nosker Harris and Hazel Nosker Perry; and his oldest brother Buck Ellis Nosker.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Jeanne Ridings Nosker of Midland, Texas; two brothers, Owen B. Nosker and Kenneth Nosker with his wife Irene Bonnell Nosker; and a large extended family.
Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home in Midland, Texas.
Dollie Harmon
Services for Dollie Harmon, 89, of Muleshoe, Texas, were Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Muleshoe Church of Christ with Gary Montgomery officiating. Dollie died Jan. 3 in Lubbock, Texas.
She was born April 4, 1915, in Rochester, Texas. She married William Harmon in Dalhart, Texas, on Dec. 21, 1933. Dollie was preceded in death by her husband on Jan. 25, 2004; son Bill Harmon in 1999; a sister and three brothers.
Dollie has been a resident of Muleshoe since 1934. She was a member of the Muleshoe Church of Christ and worked as a homemaker.
Survivors include one son and two daughters-in-law, Don and Wanda Harmon of Ruidoso, and Jo Harmon of Lubbock; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Children’s Home of Lubbock, 4404 Idalon Hwy., Lubbock, TX 79403.
Benny Joe Baca
Prayer service for Benny Joe Baca, 49, of La Luz was held on Thursday, Feb. 24, at St. Joseph’s Mission where the funeral mass will be on Friday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m., with burial to follow at the Mescalero Cemetery.
Mr. Baca died Monday, Feb. 21, in Albuquerque.
Survivors include his uncle, Paul Baca, and several cousins.
