Obituaries

Ann Theresa Brennan, a 34-year resident of Deming, NM, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 from natural causes on Saturday, April 13, 2024.

The 3rd of 4 children born to Isabel McIntyre Brennan & Joseph F. Brennan, Ann was born in Flushing Hospital, Queens, NY and was raised in Queens, NY with her siblings Frances, Joseph & Rita. She attended Bayside High School and worked for the New York State Employee Retirement System for 30 years in the Employee Benefits department. Ann moved to Deming, NM shortly after she retired. She was active in her Deming community for many years and looked forward to the Deming duck races and the Hatch Chili Festival. A love for trains inspired her to volunteer at the Deming Train Depot for a time. Ann enjoyed several hobbies over the years, volunteering for various charities, bird watching, gardening, and socializing with friends but her main focus was her faith (Catholic) and family. Ann took great pride in her family's Irish history. As the great granddaughter of Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, (Fenian activist and writer), and wife Mary Jane Irwin O'Donovan Rossa (Fenian activist and Poet). Ann was fiercely independent and a consistent presence in the lives of her nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Sandra Watkins Seay, 82, a resident of Silver City, NM, entered eternal rest on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at her residence.  She was born to her parents, Randolph Riley and Lettie (Chestnut) Watkins in East Bernstadt, Kentucky on July 2, 1941.

Sandra is survived by her husband Dexter Seay of Silver City; her son Albert Watkins Seay (Tamara) of Mimbres, NM; her daughter Sherry Zufelt of Silver City, NM; her two grandsons Jason and Jacob Seay both of Silver City, NM.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother Calvin Watkins.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 from 9:30 – 10:00am, at Terrazas Funeral Chapels in Santa Clara, NM.   The funeral service will commence at 10:00am with Pastor Tom Sylvia officiating.  Interment will follow the services at Memory Lane Cemetery in Silver City, NM.

Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels "Trusted care for the ones you love" ~ 575-537-0777.  To send condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapel.com.

Juana Abeyta, 71, a resident of Santa Clara, NM, entered eternal rest on Saturday April 27, 2024 at Gila Regional Medical Center, in Silver City, NM. She was born to her parents, Antonio and Hermelinda (Robles) Sotelo in San Juan, TX, on October 18, 1952.

She is survived by her two sons, Luis Abeyta of Albuquerque, NM and Juan Francisco Abeyta of Santa Clara, NM; her three daughters Sara Ray (Jason) of Bayard, NM, Maria Abeyta (Junior Chavarria) and Roxanne Abeyta of Santa Clara, NM; her two sisters Esther Morales (Arnulfo) and Estela Martinez of Santa Clara, NM; her fifteen grandchildren; her fourteen great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Francisco Quintanar Abeyta; and her brother-in-law, Herminio Martinez.

Juanita "Nita" Simmons Klement, 92, a resident of Silver City, NM, entered eternal rest on Saturday April 27, 2024 at Fort Bayard Medical Center surrounded by her family.  She was born on July 27, 1931 to William Price and Eleanor May (Hendricks) Simmons in Hedley, Texas. She was the tenth of 11 children.

Nita moved to Deming with her family where they had a farm south of Deming. She graduated from Deming High School in 1949 and married Leon G. Klement, also of Deming, on March 12, 1950.  They had two children, Gery and Karen.  Having always wanting to open a restaurant, the family moved to Ruidoso in 1962 to partner in a restaurant venture.  The following year they moved to Las Cruces where she worked at the NASA Space Center as well as NMSU. While working at the university, she began to pursue a degree in English. Her husband died in 1971 and she never remarried.  She graduated with her BA in English from NMSU in 1974. She then moved to Texas where she worked in the oil business but never lost her roots in NM. In the mid 1980's, she returned to Las Cruces to fulfill her dream of owning a restaurant. She remodeled an old adobe ranch house off of Amador and opened Fajitas New Mexico Café.

Esther JoAnn Duncan went to be with Our Lord April 29, 2024 at Ft. Bayard Medical Center, Santa Clara, NM.     

JoAnn was the only child of her parents:  George and Esther Lanphere.  She was born in Bisbee, AZ and grew up spending a lot of time with her cousins:  Chuck, Coleen, and Charlie.  JoAnn graduated from Bisbee High School and married her high school sweetheart Leonard Duncan on March 11, 1956.  They had four children:  Nita, Wayne, Tommy and Randy.  It was her great joy to care for her family!  She loved each one of them.  Her cooking was second to none, always making special recipes passed down from her mother as well as new ones given to her by friends.  

Santiago "Jimmy" Vasquez III, 56, a former resident of Deming went home to be with the Lord on January 12, 2024.  He was born January 1, 1968 to the late Santiago Vasquez Jr., and Gloria Reade Sawyers.

Left behind are his children and grandchildren, Amanda (Anderson) Grogan, their three children Poppy, Briony and little Anderson and Jimbo and Ryan Vasquez his sons; Jimmy's sisters, Viola Munoz her children Michael, Joseph and Anthony and their children, Tina (Gerald) Arellano and a little brother Mark Morales.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10 o'clock in the morning at Mountain View Cemetery in Deming, NM. Pastor Cesar Chavez will officiate.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Santiago "Jimmy" Vasquez III, please visit our floral store.

An obituary is not available at this time for Jesse Elizabeth (Dorman) Richardson. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jesse Elizabeth (Dorman) Richardson, please visit our floral store.

John Anthony Bever, 74, of Silver City passed away August 28, 2023 at his home.  John was born October 3, 1948 in Illinois.  He leaves behind his wife Janice Embree-Bever.

Cremation has taken place and a celebration of John's life will be at Nine-thirty in the morning on Friday, May 17, 2024 at Baca's Funeral Chapels. Officiating will be Jim Bever and Kathy Fulton.  Concluding service and inurnment will follow at Fort Bayard National Cemetery.  

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Anthony Bever, please visit our floral store.