CASIANITA GONZALES
Casianita Gonzales, 88, a lifetime resident of Willard, passed away May 6 at her home with her loving family beside her.
She was born Jan. 13, 1917, in Willard to Melcor and Predicanda (Torres) Alderete. She married Alfredo Gonzales Sr. on Jan. 21, 1935, in Manzano. He preceded her in death on Oct. 13, 1974.
Casianita was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Willard. She was also a member of the Willard Altar Society, the Willard Church Choir, the Willard Senior Center and the Little Flower Society.
Casianita is survived by four sons, Victor Gonzales and wife, Consuelo, of Albuquerque; Juan Gonzales and wife, Lila, of Willard, Alfredo Gonzales Jr. and wife, Lorenza, of Willard, and Joe Gonzales and wife, Bertha, of Estancia; three daughters, Molly Archibeque and husband, Esquipula, of Santa Fe, Ramona Castillo of Willard, and Arsenia Gallegos and husband, Richard, of Albuquerque; one brother, Carlos B. Gutierrez and wife, Lucinda, of Albuquerque; 18 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two sons, Fildelphio Gonzales and Jose Maria Gonzales; three brothers, Jose Ignacio Alderete, Martin Alderete and Ernesto Alderete; and one sister, Maria Reyes Luna.
Casianita Gonzales will be remembered as a very loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and special friend, and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Rosaries were recited Saturday and Sunday at Our Lady of Sorrows. Mass was celebrated Monday at Our Lady of Sorrows. Burial followed at the El Rosario Cemetery in Willard.
Harris-Hanlon Mortuary, Mountainair.
Dated: May 12, 2005
OSCAR HERRERA CHAVEZ
Oscar Herrera Chavez, 52, of Willard passed away May 16 in Willard.
Oscar was born Nov. 7, 1952, in Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico, to Gilberto and Margarita (Herrera) Chavez. He worked for the Zens Dairy in Willard.
Oscar is survived by his wife Estela (Valles) Chavez of Corona, Calif.; sons Oscar A. Chavez and Jonathan Chavez, both of California; daughter Nancy Chavez of California; his mother, Margarita Chavez Herrera of Mexico; brothers Horacio Chavez of Willard, Gilberto Chavez, Rodolfo Chavez, Humberto Chavez and Ernesto Chavez, all of Mexico; and his sisters, Rosa Elva Chavez, Gloria Chavez, Celia Chavez and Luz Elvira, all of Mexico.
His father, Gilberto Chavez, preceded him in death.
Oscar will be remembered as a loving husband, father, son and brother and will be missed by all that knew and loved him.
Funeral arrangements will be made later in Saucillo, Chihuahua, Mexico. Harris-Hanlon Mortuary, Moriarty.
Dated: May 26, 2005
RILEY STEVEN POINDEXTER
Riley Steven Poindexter, 25, died unexpectedly May 25.
Riley was born Aug. 9, 1979, in Tulia, Texas, and graduated from Moriarty High School in 1997. He loved anything to do with building homes and working on vehicles. Riley was a member of Moriarty Church of Christ.
He is survived by his loving parents, Steve and Sharon Poindexter; two sisters, Marci and Kathryn Poindexter; one brother, Brandon Poindexter; one nephew, Joshua Poindexter; grandfather, Riley Poindexter of Amarillo; three aunts; one uncle; and other relatives and friends.
Services were held Tuesday at Netherwood Park Church of Christ, San Mateo and I-40 in Albuquerque. Burial followed at Hyer Cemetery in Santa Fe County.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Albuquerque Inner-City Ministry, 1701 Gold Ave. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106-4417.
French Mortuary, Albuquerque.
Dated: June 2, 2005
MARGARET SIMS-STARK
Margaret Sims-Stark, 78, of Rio Rancho passed away May 29 in Albuquerque.
Margaret was born Sept. 25, 1926, in Oregon. She moved to Rio Rancho in April 1990, coming from California.
Margaret is survived by her son, Gregory D. Resner and wife, Tina; her daughter, Cheryl A. LeFore; her husband, Michael; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
She will be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend and will be missed by all that knew and loved her.
Harris-Hanlon Mortuary in Moriarty handled arrangements for cremation.
Dated: June 2, 2005
EARL THOMAS McCRACKEN
Earl Thomas McCracken, 66, son of Robert Laurie and Ann Marie McCracken, died May 29 in Albuquerque after an extended hospital stay.
Born in Pittsburgh on Oct. 26, 1938, he was the second child of the marriage of Robert Laurie and Ann Marie McCracken.
Tom made his home in Encino for the last 22 years of his life and leaves behind many friends in Encino and the surrounding area.
He is survived by his brother, David John McCracken of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and sister, Patricia Margaret Vollmer of Sacramento, Cali.
He was the beloved father of three children: John Laurie McCracken, Donald Thomas McCracken and Debra Jean Rackerby. There are five grandchildren, Katlyn Ann, Debra Marie, Emily Patricia, Trenton Henry and Maicie Jean, that live in Santa Rosa, Calif.
He had an older sister, Laurie Ann, who pre-deceased him in 1958.
No funeral will be held, but there will be a memorial service Friday at the Catholic Church in Encino.
Dated: June 2, 2005
ELMA "DOLORES" CHAVEZ
Elma "Dolores" Chavez, 69, of Wagon Wheel passed away June 1 at the home of her daughter, Linda Birmingham, with her loving family beside her after a 17-year battle with cancer.
Dolores was born Oct. 1, 1935, in Canton, Ga., to Willie D. and Annie Sue (Maeger) Hightower. She married Raymond Toribio Chavez on Feb. 14, 1955, in Atlanta. They moved from Georgia to New Mexico in 1955.
Dolores was well known for helping families, making food and she was famous for her peach cobbler. She was the Moriarty Schools bus driver for Special Education children. The Moriarty kindergarten students knew her as "Aunt Dodi." She filled the halls with laughter and received hugs and kisses on the cheeks from the students. You could hear her voice in the stores and you had better have time to talk, for she was full of joy and ready to share her life stories, whether it was riding bucking horses, holding cows down for branding or mending fences.
Dolores was a fighter, having fought cancer for so long. She was strong until the end. Her faith was strong and she always had time to talk about her Lord and Savior, whom she is with now. We will all miss Dolores, but we can keep her alive in our hearts by sharing memories.
Dolores is survived by her daughter, Linda Birmingham and husband Alan of Estancia; grandson Blayne Christopher Birmingham of Estancia; lifelong friends Margaret and Jose O. Garcia of McIntosh, and their daughters Carisima, Micaela and Isabela; granddaughter Bridget Chavez of Moriarty; son Ronnie O. Chavez and wife Alice of Wagon Wheel; daughter Susan Herrera of Santa Fe; granddaughters Consuelo Chavez and husband Robert of Moriarty, Vanessa Chavez of Albuquerque and Alisha Chavez of Wagon Wheel; great-grandsons Isaac Chavez of Moriarty, Juan Estevan Herrera of Santa Fe and Louie Chavez of Alamogordo; great-granddaughter Aliyah Chavez of Moriarty; brothers, Bill Hightower and wife Charlotte, James Hightower, Richard Hightower and Chuck Hightower and wife Sue, all of Georgia; a sister, Zara Houston and husband Henry; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Dolores was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Raymond Chavez, on May 18, 2004; and twin siblings, a brother Jerry Hightower and sister Terry Hightower.
A memorial was held Saturday at the family home in Wagon Wheel.
Harris-Hanlon Mortuary, Moriarty.
Dated: June 9, 2005
