Obituaries

MARGARET CLARISSA ‘JOY’ BLACKADAR-DEAN Oct. 9, 1928 – 2021

Margaret Clarissa “Joy” Blackadar-Dean of Albuquerque, NM passed away peacefully with her loved ones surrounding her after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s.

Joy was born Oct. 9, 1928 in Plainfield, NJ to Walter Lloyd and Harriet Blackadar. After graduating from North Plainfield High School in 1946, Joy went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree from Denison University in 1950 and a Master’s Degree from the University of Colorado in 1957.

During her time at the University of Colorado she met and married her husband of 62 years, Read More

ALFRED HOWARD ZELTMANN Dec 25, 1921 to Aug 31, 2021

Alfred Howard Zeltmann of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away Tues, Aug 31, 2021, at home surrounded by his family. He was 99 and died of old age.

Al was born at home in Brooklyn, New York, on Christmas Day in 1921, the eldest son of Ernest William Zeltmann and Anna Kannard Zeltmann. He was raised in Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn Technical High School and then Cooper Union in New York City.

He married his high school sweetheart Audrey Ritchie soon after being drafted into the army in 1942. In 1944 he was assigned to the Special Engineer Detachment Read More

DEIDRE ANN PLUMLEE June 12, 1951 – Aug. 23, 2021

Deidre Ann Plumlee was born June 12, 1951 in Eunice, NM and passed from this life August 23, 2021 in Los Alamos.

Deidre was a “one off”. A unique individual of rare intelligence, but with a self effacing charming demeanor.

There were very few subjects, from astrology to zoology, in which she was not interested. Deidre was a publisher, an author and a poet. She was an Artist with a capital “A”. Her use of several media was amazing and she was so proficient with all that she attempted; be it oils, pen and pencil, water color and other mixed media, were all her Read More

WILMA IRENE BECK Nov. 7, 1930 – Aug. 19, 2021

Wilma Irene Beck was born to loving parents in Speedway, Indiana Nov. 7, 1930. It was there that she grew up with her younger sister Deloris. They were proud of their father Floyd Beck and mother Thelma, who owned Beck’s Drug Store, where Floyd was a pharmacist.

Growing up in Speedway, home of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Wilma, or “Willie” as she was called by her friends, had a love for fine cars. Wilma often drove the streets of Speedway in the Beck’s Drug Store car.

Wilma earned a BA degree from Butler University in Indiana. She later met Read More

WILBERT DALE BRESHEARS April 25, 1939 – Aug. 15, 2021

Dale Breshears was born in Portland, OR to Raymond and Geneva Breshears. Ray was an accountant who grew up on a homestead in New Mexico but knew that wasn’t the life for him and took a train as far away as possible, ending up in Portland, Oregon. Geneva was a homemaker and the eldest of 5 siblings. She quit school early to work as a secretary to help with the family expenses. Ray and Geneva met at Mallory Avenue Christian Church in Portland.

Dale was an only child, but he enjoyed being with his cousins Don and Ailene in Eugene, Oregon. As a kid, he loved Read More

PETER CLARE LINDAHL Nov. 14, 1941 – Aug. 20, 2021

Peter Clare Lindahl of Los Alamos, New Mexico passed away on Friday, August 20, 2021, at the age of 79. After several months of declining health, Pete died peacefully with his beloved wife Mary Ann Lindahl by his side.

Pete was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 14, 1941. He was raised in Ingleside, Illinois and graduated from Grant High School in 1959. He received his bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest University and a doctorate degree in analytical chemistry from Southern Illinois University. He worked for Perkin Elmer, ExxonMobile, Argonne Read More

MARGARET CRUZ Aug. 17, 2021

Margaret Cruz, a longtime Los Alamos resident, ended her battle with Alzheimer’s on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, she was 82 years old.

Margaret was a vibrant woman and had a zest for life. She was generous, funny and brutally honest.  

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents Eliverto and Manuela Alvarez, her husband of 37 years David Cruz, and her grandson Aaron Bowers.

She is survived by daughters Pearl (Tom) Faulk, Carla (Robert) Clark, 6 grandchildren, 3 sisters, and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday August 30th, 2021 at 11:00 Read More

CLARA SCHWARTZ RIEBE PETERSON 1942 – Aug. 14, 2021

In the early hours of Aug. 14, 2021, a piece of the Riebe family’s heart was broken. Clara Schwartz Riebe Peterson passed away at the age of 97. She was caring, devoted and generous to a fault.

Clara is survived by her children: Jae Riebe (Dave Modl) Rio Rancho, Shelly Riebe Los Alamos, Lorraine Kennedy (Brian) Austin, Texas, Joe Riebe (Sandy) Rio Rancho, Chuck Riebe (Carol Valdez) Santa Fe, Debby Pacheco (John) Kirtland, Bruce Riebe (Florence) Los Alamos, 13 grandchildren: Marvin, Ken, Mindy, Jennifer, Jon, Pheneous, Alicia, Danny, Jason, Read More

BLANCHE TEMPLAR Oct. 30, 1948 – July 22, 2021

Blanche Templar, 72, a resident of Florence, Oregon, formerly a Los Alamos resident, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, July 22, 2021.

Blanche was born Oct. 30, 1948, in Watertown, New York, to Robert Charles and Lois (Wood) Templar. She spent her youth in Rochester, New York and graduated from John Marshall High School in 1966.

Blanche began her lifelong career in the medical field at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

Blanche lived in several states, working and raising her children, until she discovered a cherished home in Florence. She continued Read More

KENNETH MARK RUTHERFORD Sept. 10, 1952 – Aug. 11, 2021

Ken Rutherford, 68, a long time Los Alamos resident, passed away after a fall in the driveway. He lived with Parkinson’s in recent years, but he never let it slow his sense of humor and kind-natured love for all.

He was born in 1952 to Perry and Rita Rutherford in the then-closed city of Los Alamos. He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1970.

His many adventures in life included ski-bumming in Colorado, working construction, as a licensed Realtor, building a solar adobe home in La Mesilla, running Allied Foods, and playing Tavern League Poker. Read More