Obituaries

ANNETTE MARTA CHAVEZ-ARAGON (NETTA) Jan. 19, 1956 – Sept. 18, 2019

Annette Marta Chavez-Aragon (Netta), 63, of Santa Fe New Mexico, passed away peacefully in her home on September 18, 2019.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday October 5^th, 2019 at Rivera Funeral Home, 417 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505. Deacon Juan Martinez of the Cathedral of St. Francis de Assisi will be leading the Rosary at 1:00 p.m.

The Celebration of Life service will begin at 2:00 p.m. in an open-speaker format where loved ones are invited to share readings and/or stories to honor Annette. The Read More

SOPHIA FELDMAN April 16, 2004 – Sept. 28, 2019

Sophia Rose Feldman, aged 15, of Los Alamos, unexpectedly passed away on September 28, 2019. She was with her parents at Los Alamos Medical Center, where staff worked assiduously to revive her – we cannot thank them enough for their valiant efforts.

Sophia was a bright and eloquent spirit in the world. As a student at Los Alamos High School, she was looking forward to singing in the Bel Canto choir, learning how to drive, entering upcoming speech and debate competitions, and trying to figure out what she wanted to do in the world.

She had her first-ever Read More

LAURENT (LARRIE) EDWIN CHIGBROW June 19, 1955 – Sept. 22, 2019

Laurent (Larrie) Edwin Chigbrow, age 64 of Los Alamos, NM, passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2019.

Larrie was born on June 19, 1955 in Clay Center, Kansas. He graduated from Charlies M. Russell High School, in Great Falls, MT and went on to graduate from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT with a Chemical Engineering Degree.

He met his future wife, Barbara Drga, while attending MSU. They started their life together in Idaho where he worked for the Idaho National Laboratory for over 25 years. They then moved to Los Alamos, NM where Read More

MILDRED ANN POWERS

Mildred Ann Powers, 82, Farmington, NM, passed away August 31st, 2019.

She was born to William and Ida Catherine Dittmar in Appleton, Wisconsin.

She was a graduate of Zion Lutheran Grade School, Appleton Senior High School, Appleton, WI and Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, Chicago, IL. She was a geriatric RN off and on throughout her life in Clinton, IA, where she lived for 30 years and Los Alamos, NM.

She loved her pets, of which she had many, gardening, collecting antiques and Southwestern Art. She always had a positive outlook and was passionate about her life and Read More

AARON CHAPMAN Feb. 22, 1982 – Sept. 15, 2019

Aaron Chapman passed away unexpectedly on September 15, 2019. He was 37 years old.

Aaron was born in Los Alamos, New Mexico on February 22, 1982. He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1999.

Aaron had various occupations, mostly in the food service industry. He enjoyed mixing music and had a knack for fixing computers. He also had a very creative personality which was displayed in his artwork, but what Aaron loved and enjoyed the most was his precious son, Jonathan Daniel Chapman.

Aaron is preceded in death by his Grandfathers John Chapman Read More

PATRICIA M. RICHARD March 15, 1927 – Sept. 30, 2018

Patricia Richard of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and formerly of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away on September 30, 2018, at the age of 91, with her daughter Rochelle holding her hands. She wanted her daughter, Rochelle, to be with her when she passed away and she was.

Patricia was born in Fullerton, California, and was married to Jack R. Richard for 51 years. They raised four children, Rochelle Courtney (Jim), Julie Frosch (Ron), Randy and Ronnie.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Monte and Dorothy Shanks, sister Loraine Lamkin, husband Read More

IRENE PAINE Sept. 13, 2019

Irene Paine, 90, and half years old passed away the morning of Friday, September 13, 2019 with her children by her side.

She called Espanola home. She was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to New Mexico when she was just 16.

Before moving to Los Alamos, NM, she was one of only a few children chosen to sing at the funeral of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

She left a full paid scholarship to the Julliard School of music when her father came to work as a glass blower for the Manhattan project. Upon graduation from High School, Irene worked at Bell Telephone Company at Ashley Pond. Read More

MICHAEL PAUL DUGAN Sept. 27, 1948 – Sept. 8, 2019

Michael Paul Dugan was born on September 27, 1948 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the second of what would become seven children of Paul and Colette Dugan.

The family eventually moved to Los Alamos and Mike became known as the one who could fix anything. He took great pleasure in helping family and friends with challenging fix-it projects, always with creative solutions.

Mike joined the U.S. Navy upon graduation from high school and served in Guam during the Vietnam Era.

Upon his return, he married Mary Waldschmidt. Mike and Mary settled in Los Alamos Read More

ROGER MINOT CLOUGH May 1, 1932 – Sept. 8, 2019

Roger Minot Clough, age 87 of Los Alamos, passed away on Sunday, September 8, 2019.

Roger was born May 1, 1932 in Meriden, Connecticut to Raymond and Katherine Helen (Malay) Clough. He graduated from Hicks Memorial School in Tolland, CT in 1950. 

He served in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Norfolk VA. (1950-1954), worked for Pratt & Whitney Corp. in Connecticut after release from the Navy in 1954, and then spent a few years as a house painter both New Mexico and then Maine. 

After a down-turn in the economy, he attended the University of Maine Read More

LORRAINE MONTOYA Sept. 7, 1948 – Sept. 9, 2019

Our beloved mother, Lorraine Montoya, 71, of Abiquiu, NM, passed away following a short illness on Monday, September 9, 2019 with her family by her side.

She was born to the late Napoleon and Josefita Martinez on September 7, 1948, in Abiquiu.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her sister Teodorita Garcia, her late husband Jose Ortega, and brother-in-law Gilbert Vigil.

She is survived by her loving husband of 19 years, Hernando Montoya and her 4 children: Jose Ortega, Joyce Ortega-Tapia (John Tapia), Vangie Trujillo (Donald) and Josephine Ortega (David Read More

ADELINE (ADDY) F. REEVES Jan. 20, 1927 – Sept. 7, 2019

Adeline (Addy) F. Reeves passed away on September 7th in her home with family around her.

Addy was born in Oakdale, NE, on January 20th, 1927 to Herman and Lena Walters and was raised on their family farm with her four siblings. 

She graduated from Oakdale High School, hopped the train to Omaha with her older sister, Millie, got a room at a boarding house, and landed a job as a secretary. She soon met Frank, her husband of 62 years, who was a recent enlistee in the U.S. Navy. During their courtship Frank said, “for 2 cents I would Read More

MELANIE FUGATE Aug. 29, 2019

Melanie Fugate, 59, of Los Alamos passed away on August 29, 2019.

She is survived by her beloved daughter Lauren as well as her brothers Douglas and Byron Jakel, sisters-in-law Pattie and Michiko, nephew Connor, niece Mackenzie, friend and former husband Mike and friend and former mother-in-law Karene Elliott. Other friends include the Grimes and Riley families.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Melanie moved to Albuquerque where she graduated with distinction from the University of New Mexico with a BA in English & Philosophy. She also earned an AAS in Legal Assistant Read More

INEZ EVANGELINE CHRISTENSEN Nov. 1, 1925 – Sept. 2, 2019

Inez Evangeline Christensen passed from this life and entered the presence of her Savior Jesus on September 2, 2019 in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Surrounded by her loving family, Inez received a body free of cancer and dimmed vision.

Inez was born in Antelope, Montana to Theodore Raymond Knutson and Inga Evanger Knutson on November 1, 1925 and grew up in rural North Dakota as the oldest of 16 children.  She graduated from Kenmare High School in North Dakota and went on to pursue a nursing career, which was cut short to marry her sweetheart Read More

FATHER ROBERT ANTHONY BUSCH, PH.D. April 3, 1962 – Aug. 27, 2019

Father Robert Anthony Busch, Ph.D., who served as Pastor of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Canyon, Texas and Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Amarillo, passed away August 27, 2019. He was 57 years old.

Vigil was celebrated at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Canyon. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, August 31, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Ann’s in Canyon with Bishop Patrick J. Zurek, presiding, with priests of the Diocese of Amarillo and other dioceses concelebrating. Burial was in Read More

GILBERT H. ARCHULETA, SR. Aug. 20, 2019

Gilbert H. Archuleta, Sr., 74, a resident of Servilleta, passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2019.

He was preceded in death by his father, Leo; his mother, Ruth; brother, George L. Archuleta; sister, Gloria Alvarado; son, Anthony Archuleta; father-in-law, Joe A. Giron; and mother-in-law, Dulce Nea Giron.

He worked for years through Semi Service in Salt Lake City as a Diesel Mechanic. He moved to New Mexico, where he worked for Los Alamos Public Schools for 10 years, where he retired.

He enjoyed tending to his property and watering his yard. He loved hanging Read More

JUDITH (JUDY) HUNTER MILLER Aug. 20, 2019

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. 

With characteristic grace, courage and faith, Judith (Judy) Hunter Miller passed away at the age of 74 on August 20, 2019, surrounded by loving family at her home in White Rock, New Mexico. 

She is survived by her father Robert Hunter, sister Linda Ellingson, sons David and Jonathan, three grandchildren and her devoted canine companion Addie.

In addition to her long nursing career at Los Alamos Medical Center and Los Alamos National Laboratory, Judy Read More

JAMES MARION BUNCH April 23, 1934 – Aug. 20, 2019

James Marion Bunch was born April 23, 1934, in Hastings, NE. He passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 20, 2019 at age 85.

After graduating from Hastings High School in 1952, he married Elayne Grothen in 1954 and completed his BA in physics with a math minor at Hastings College in 1956.

They had two children, Robyn and John. Jim completed his PhD in solid state physics at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1967. Then the family moved to Los Alamos where Jim was a staff member at Los Alamos National Laboratory. From 1981-1985, he was a process Read More

CHRIS VALENE HOLLIS Feb. 14, 1937 – Aug. 19, 2019

Chris Valene Hollis passed away in Los Alamos, New Mexico on Monday, August 22, 2019.

She was born on February 14, 1937 and was the only child of Jack and Dalma Hinds King. Chris lived in Lawton, Oklahoma until her graduation in 1957 from Cameron State Agricultural College with an Associates in Arts degree in Home Economics. Following a summer working at Disneyland, she attended Oklahoma State University until her marriage to William Wesley Hollis on December 27, 1958.

Chris and Bill had two children: William Kirk Hollis and Elizabeth Ann Hollis Read More

ROBERT E. MORRISON July 14, 1947 – July 21, 2019

Robert E. Morrison died July 21, 2019, at home in Los Alamos seventy-two years and one week after his birth on July 14, 1947, in Logan, Utah.

His family moved often and he had been enrolled in thirteen schools by the time they returned to Los Alamos for Bob’s high school years. As a member of Bob Cox’s track team, he set the LAHS pole vault record in 1965, a mark that held until 1993. Bob walked down to Sullivan Field during practice to congratulate the young man who broke it.

After serving in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive Read More

DR. PAUL WAGNER Dec. 27, 1923 – Aug. 9, 2019

PauI Wagner, 1st Lt Ret,  of Albuquerque, NM was born in Troy, Rennselaer County, New York, 12-27-23.

He is a veteran of World War II where he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps flying 25 combat missions as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot in Europe with the 8th Air Force. At war’s end he was a First Lieutenant who had been awarded the Air Medal four times, had three ETO battle stars and a Presidential Citation for his combat experience. He remained in the US Army Reserves until the end of the Korean conflict in 1954.

He was educated after WWII at the State Read More

SCARLETT RUBY MARTINEZ Aug. 10, 2019

Scarlett Ruby Martinez, 4 Months, a resident of Española, passed away peacefully with her parents at her side on Saturday, August 10, 2019.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother, Nancy Serna-Sanchez; great-grandfathers, Modesto Espinoza, Benigo Martinez and George Baca; and great-aunt Diana Martinez.

Scarlett was a beautiful baby girl who quickly gained the love of everyone around her. She had the drive to keep fighting throughout her life. She had such a feisty personality for such a young age. She loved to be held and always comforted. She loved Read More

IRENE DAVIS-DELLINGER Jan. 28, 1924 – Aug. 6, 2019

Irene Davis-Dellinger passed away at the Los Alamos Medical Center this past Tuesday, August 6.  

A 52-year resident of White Rock, Irene was born in Freiburg, Germany, Province of Saxony, on January 28, 1924, the only child of Kaufman Wilhelm Weichelt and Flora Charlotte Irmgard Schmidt.  

Irene grew up in the City of Dresden, studied to pursue a career in music, but was forced, along with her mother, to flee the city on foot during the Allied fire bombings of February 1945.  

Reaching the advancing Allied front Read More

MICHAEL P. GEELAN July 15, 2019

Mike Geelan, 69, passed away at his home in Aransas Pass,Texas on Monday, July 15, 2019. 

He was employed by Los Alamos National Laboratory for 28 years.

Mike grew up in Los Alamos and enjoyed the outdoors, especially the mountains. In his mid-twenties he built a cabin in the Jemez, where he loved hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and spending time with friends, family, and his dogs. 

Mike met and married Cindy Hammons, his wife of 38 years. They eventually moved to Cindy’s home state of Texas, where they enjoyed living by the ocean.

Mike was a devoted Read More

KENNETH BERNARD BOWMAN April 15, 1926 – Aug. 2, 2019

Kenneth Bernard Bowman (Ken) entered into eternal rest on Friday, August 2, 2019 with his children at his side. He was 93.

Ken was born on April 15, 1926 in LaPorte, Indiana. He was the youngest of the three children born to Rodney Bernard and Anna Marie (Klassen) Bowman.

After graduation from La Porte High School, Ken attended Purdue College before going to Fairchild Aircraft in Hagerstown, MD to begin his drafting/engineering career. Over the years he also worked for Pullman Car Company and then Bendix Corporation in Indiana. During this time, Read More

WILLIAM JOSHUA ‘BILL’ SCHUTZ SR. Feb. 17, 1927 – July 25, 2019

William Joshua “Bill” Schutz Sr. passed away peacefully from natural causes on July 25, 2019 in his White Rock, New Mexico home at the age of 92.

Bill was born in Silver City, New Mexico on February 17, 1927 to parents Leo Sr. and Josephine Schutz and grew up in Santa Fe.

He graduated from St. Michaels High School in 1945 and soon after enlisted in the US Navy during WW II. His service was in the Pacific theater with his best friend Dick Delgado (deceased).

Bill worked for 42 years with the US Postal Service in Los Alamos. After his retirement, Read More

CAROLYN (CJ) BUCKNER July 9, 2019 – May 7, 2019

Beloved artist and long-time resident of Los Alamos, Carolyn (CJ) Buckner passed away May 7, 2019, after a yearlong battle with neuroendocrine cancer. She was just shy of her 78th birthday at the time of her passing.

CJ, as she preferred to be called, was born in Cedar Rapids, WI. on July 9, 1941. Daughter of Valentine and Alice Birch, CJ spent most of her childhood moving around in the upper Midwest in several different parts of Iowa and Wisconsin.

Upon completing high school, she began her undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Read More

PAUL DAVID GAETJENS II April 15, 1959 – July 1, 2019

Paul (Paul David to his family) was educated in Los Alamos, graduating in 1977. He then attended the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Paul worked more than 20 years at Mesa Airlines, where he received many citations of excellence and was employee of the month on more than one occasion. At Mesa, he met his wife, Zeta Price, and they were married in 1991.

After his retirement in 2006, his health declined. He had a stroke in August 2016. Special thanks to his caregiver for the last two years, Levon Trujillo.

Per his wishes, there was no service. Read More

CHEYLAN TELL GRESHAM ‘CHEY-TOWN’ GRESHAM Aug. 18, 1982 – July 17, 2019

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved Son, Brother, Father and Friend to many.

“The light is gone from your beautiful blue eyes on this earth as we know it, but they will shine on into eternal life”.

Cheylan was born August 18, 1982 to Terrell and Jeanette Gresham and entered eternal life on July 17, 2019.

Chey was a graduate of Onate High School Class of 2000. Chey had many talents and a profound love for all genres of music. He owned his own D.J. Business “Chey-Town Productions”.

He had Read More