1973
Obituaries and Articles
Compiled by Marcena Thompson
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August 2 1973
ALLEN
Funeral services will be held at Graham’s Memorial Chapel for John Allen, 75 of 539 villa Mora, who died Tuesday in a nursing Home. Burial will be at the community Cemetery. Elder C. Bell will officiate at the services. Pallbearers will be Rufus Stiatch, Rufus Revel, Busk Lawson, Lester Wright, Travis Stevens and Lonnie B. Herbert. Allen is survived by his daughter, Mrs. Nettie Mae Singleton, Dallas, TX.

Aug 6, 1973
PARRA
Frank T. Parra, 72, died Saturday in an El Paso hospital. He was a resident of Mesquite and a retired farmer. Rosary in Graham’s Chapel. Funeral mass at the Catholic Church in Mesquite. Father Bernard Bordesu will officiate. Burial will follow in San Miguel Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers are Henry Silva, David Silva, Trinidad Ferralez, Manuel Ferralez, Efren Borunda and Manuel Quintanilla. Mr. Parra is survived by his wife, Hortencia, daughter, Julia Silva of Wilcox, AZ; two sons, Emilio and Frank Jr both of Mesquite; 14 grandchildren and four g-grandchildren.

GALLEGOS
Paula L. Gallegos, 58 died Sunday at Memorial General hospital. Survived by one son, Jose Gallegos, Las Cruces; six daughters, Mrs. Nellie Tucker, El Paso, Mrs. Mary Romero, Corpus Cristi, TX, Mrs. Barbara Lueras, Mesilla; and Deborah Gallegos, Mesilla, three sisters, Mrs. Mary Pena, Ca, Mrs Cuca Manchaca, El Paso, and Mrs. Romana Acuna, Las Cruces, two brothers, Alejandro and Alberto Lara, both of Las Cruces, 11 grandchildren. Pallbeares will be Alerto Lara, Clemente Lara, Alejandro Lara, Ralph Lara, Ernest Lara and Nieves Lara.

HOLMES
Merle C. Holmes, 67 died Saturday in El Paso. He was a resident of Anthony for the past 40 years. He was past grand master for the NM Masonic Lodge and member of the Santa Fe Scottish Right Bodies. He was ballut abyad of the Albuquerque Shrine Temple and was secretary of the Anthony Masonic Lodge # 48. He was active in Renick Chapter # 37 of the Order of the Eastern Star. Retired from civil service. Services at Anthony Methodist Church. Burial at Anthony Cemetery with Anthony Masonic Lodge in charge of services. He will lie in state at Harding-Orr & McDaniel Funeral Home at 320 Montana in El Paso, TX. Survived by his wife, Katherine Holmes of Anthony, daughter, Mrs. Mary Kay Bechtol of Ogden, UT, son, Maj Allan Holmes who is on a U.S. military mission in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, brothers, Glen Holmes of Manila, AK and Greg Holmes of Storm Lake, IA and five grandchildren.

August 7 1973
ENRIQUEZ
Ricky D. Enriquez, 603 S. Campo, died Monday. The nice year old drowned about 4 p.m. Monday while playing near the Fiesta Retention Dam. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Enriquez. Services are pending with Dennis-Getz Funeral Home. Burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Survived by his two brothers, Carols and David, four sisters, Mrs. Carmen Chavez of Las Cruces, Beatrice, Yoland and Teresa all of the home. Maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Barba of Torreon, Mexico.

MUNOZ
Issac Munoz, 39, died Saturday in Las Cruces. His body was sent to Mesa, AZ., Monday for funeral services and burial. Mr. Munoz died from injuries sustained in an auto accident west of Las Cruces. Funeral and burial service arrangements will be made by Gibbons-Burnker Funeral Home. in Mesa. Dennis-Getz Funeral home and made local arrangements. Survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Nazanio Munoz, two brothers, Manuel and Osacar and two sisters, Mary Lou and Emma all of Gilbert, AZ., also by his cousin, Armando Garcia of Las Cruces and others relatives in Barstow, TX.

August 8 1973
RILEY
W. W. (Sid) Riley, 80, died tuesday in Memorial General hospital. Las Cruces resident since 1919 and was a retired farmer. Graham’s Funeral Home. Burial at the Masonic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Dan Riley, Ray Riley, David Riley, Jack Griffin, Jim Kilcrease and Ray Bryant. Survived by his wife, Winifred, son, Stanford of Traver, CA., four grandchildren and four g-grandchildren.

WOOLBRIGHT
Don Woolbright, 46 died Monday from injuries inflicted by a gunshot wound. He was a resident of Las Cruces for 11 years. Funeral service at Graham’s Chapel with services by the Scottish Rite Bodies. Burial at Masonic Cemetery with graveside services by Aztec Lodge # 3 AF and AM. Survived by his wife, Johanna; son, Michael; five brothers, Ray of San Antonio, Melvin of Kerville, TX, Jack of LA, Marvin of Cypress, CA, Roy of Long Beach, CA and sister, Mrs. Ed Collier of Port Naches, TX.

August 16 1973
CADENA
Vicente M. Cadena, 65, died Wed. at Memorial General Hospital. Lifelong resident of Mesilla. Burial at San Albino Catholic Cemetery. Survived by his wife, Francisca of Mesilla, four sons, Miguel of Camp Hill, PA, Manuel of Mesilla and Rudy and Eugene of the home, seven daughters, Genevieve Lucero of Las Cruces, Isabel Rios of Mesilla, Gloria Molina of Ft. Sill, OK, Josie Guzman of Las Cruces, Mary Lou Ramirez of Anthony and Yolanda and Terry Cadena of the home, mother, Atanacia Alderete of Mesilla, sisters, Felicitas Holguin of Mesilla, Josephine San Miguel of Vado, Locaria Alderete of Mesilla, brothers, Juan and Albino of Fresno, CA. and Frank of Las Cruces, 11 grandchildren.

August 19 1973
MURO
Guadalupe Muro, 78, died Friday at Las Cruces Manor. She lived at 309 S. San Pedro. Rosary at Dennis-Getz funeral Home. Funeral mass at St. Genevieve’s Catholic Church. Burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Survivors include one niece, Elosia Arellano and one great-niece, Estella Hogue, both of Las Cruces.

DOWDY
Samuel M. Dowdy, 57, died Friday in Memorial General Hospital. He lived at 1875 Corbett and was employed by Burns Construction Co. He has been a Las Cruces resident for two years. Funeral serviced at Graham’s Chapel. Burial in Hillcrest Cemetery. Pallbearers, Grant Mitchell, Bruce Hendrix, Arthur Armstrong, Bill Shrman, Gary Walling and Dudley Dinsmore. Survivors, Mr. Dowdy wife, Jessie, son Tom D. Dowdy, daughter, Joyce Davis all of Las Cruces, a brother, in OR and several grandchildren.

August 20 1973
CAMPBELL
John W. Campbell, 84, died in Memorial General Hospital Saturday. He lived at 1145 Mesa and was a Las Cruces resident since 1934. He owned the Campbell Cleaners in Mesilla Park. Burial at Hillcrest Cemetery Mausoleum. Pallbearers will be I. D. Steele, Newt Jones, Walter Lease, John Gill, G. A. Loomis and Robert L. Smith. Survived by a daughter, Mrs. Albert Seppie of Denver, two sons, Ray of Las Cruces and Olan of High Rolls, three brothers, Rufus of TX, Roy of Oplin, TX and Fletcher of Hagermun, two grandchildren and two g-grandchildren.

August 24 1973
ARCHULETA
Rosary service at Graham’s Funeral Chapel for Marcello M. Archuleta, 84, who died Wednesday in Memorial General Hospital. Funeral mass at San Albino’s Catholic Church. Burial at San Albino Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers, Lorenzo Archuleta, Henry Archuleta, David Archuleta, Pete Maese, Joe Montoya and Audencio Enriquez. He lived at 115 N. Archuleta Road and was a Las Cruces resident for 77 years and was a retired farmer. Survived by two daughters, Mrs. Amelia Padilla of Las Cruces and Mrs. Genevieve Enriquez of La Union, 22 grandchildren and 19 g-grandchildren.

August 26 1973
RAMIREZ
Cleofas Ramirez died Friday morning at Memorial General Hospital. He was a retired carpenter and had been a Las Cruces resident for 50 years. Survived by four sons, four daughters, 20 grandchildren and g-grandchildren. Graham’s Funeral Home.

JOHNSON
Funeral services for Joe R. Johnson, 24, whose body was found in a crashed car near Chamberino Thursday morning will be in El Paso, burial will follow in El Paso. Johnson was known throughout the Las Cruces area for his bronze sculptures and charcoal drawing of the southwest, as well as his work with the well-known Johnson ranching family of New Mexico and Calif. He was a 1972 graduate of NMSU with a BA in agriculture. Survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Johnson, Aden, NM and uncle Robert Johnson, Aden, his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Allen Potts, Las Cruces, brother, Jim of La Grand, CA uncle, Willis W. Babb, San Rafael, CA., aunt Mrs. Tom Fielder, Columbia, SC.

JARAMILLO
Francisco A Jaramillo, 75, of Hatch died Friday night at Memorial General Hospital. Rosary and funeral mass at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Hatch. Burial at Garden of Memories Cemetery in Hatch. Survived by his wife, Felipa of Hatch, son, Tony Molinar of Pico Rivera, CA., daughter, Mrs. Frances Ramos, six grandchildren and six g-grandchildren.

BEST
Mrs. Frances Best, 70 died Sat. at Memorial General Hospital. She lived at Conlee Lane in Mesilla Park and had been a resident for one year. Body taken to Albuquerque for cremation. Survived by her husband, Harry L. Best and son Harry A Best.

August 27 1973
DAVIS
Mrs. Walter R. Davis died Sat. at her home 2035 Broadmore Ave. after a long illness. Mrs. Davis and her husband, retired Col. Walter R. Davis have been Las Cruces residents since January. Harding-Orr and McDaniel Funeral Home in El Paso. Burial at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery. Survived by her husband, her mother the Countess Elena de Rossi of Italy, daughter, Mrs. Wm. H. Crawford Jr. of Nashville, TN, two sons, Peter, who is serving in the Army in Okinawa and Paul a Las Cruces High School student, one grandson, Wm H. Crawford of Nashville, TN.

OCHOA
Victoriano R. Ochoa, 65, 222 North Solano, who died Sunday at Memorial General Hospital. Dennis-Getz Funeral Home.

August 31 1973
DOYLE
Mr. Doyle, 78, 106 Oxford died Thursday in Memorial General Hospital. He has been a Las Cruces resident since 1926 and was retired from the Auto business. He was a WW2 vet. Pallbearers, John Rigsby, Tom Wilkerson, John Townsend, Dean Roark, Jose Taylor and Roy Black. Survived by his wife, Mabel, son, Frak Mason of Santa Maria, CA, three daughters, Mrs. Snyer of Deming, Mrs. L. C. Scott of Las Cruces and Mrs. Oouise Marcak of Deming, 10 grandchildren, 20 g-grandchildren.

BURBA

Olga Maria Burba, 82, died Thurdsay at Memorial General Hospital. Graveside services at Masonic Cemetery. Survived by her husband, Humbert V. Burba of Bronz, NY, one daughter Mrs. Mildred E. Crossman of Las Cruces; two granddaughters, one g-granddaughter. Dennis-Getz Funeral Home.

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