Obituaries

VIVIAN HAKES HACKENBERRY Nov. 9, 1921 – March 25, 2020

Vivian Hakes Hackenberry went into the loving arms of Jesus on March 25, 2020.

Vivian was born November 9, 1921 in Montoursville, Pennsylvania to John and Edith (Barbour) Hakes. On January 13, 1944, during World War II, she married Lester Stephen Hackenberry.

In 1949 the Hackenberrys moved to Los Alamos, NM where she thrived for over 60 years. She loved living in the Southwest, ordered her New Mexico food Christmas and cleared the plate. She was a devoted mother, a member of Crossroads Bible Church, and an active volunteer. In her later Read More

LUKAS DRAKE LUCERO Aug. 9, 1990 – March 18, 2020

Lukas Drake Lucero passed away unexpectedly at the young age of 29. 

Lukas was preceded in death by his grandparents LeRoy and Polly Lucero, his uncle Jimmy Lucero, and his great-grandparents Eloy and Rafaelita Trujillo, Luis and Bernadetta Lucero, and Reymundo and Edinera Ortega.

Lukas is survived by his parents Marco and Sandy Lucero, sister Lorinda Nelson and spouse Xavier, former spouse, Ariana Mancino (and the Mancino family), grandmother Cruzita Trujillo, grandfather Faustin Trujillo, Aunt Pam Ortiz and spouse Sam, Aunt Bernadette Read More

EMMANUEL ANTHONY LOPEZ Dec. 18, 1951 – March 13, 2020

Our Loving God called Emmanuel to Heaven on March 13, 2020. 

Emmanuel was born in Santa Fe to Michael Albert and Eva (Martinez) Lopez on December 18, 1951. 

Besides his parents he was preceded in death by sisters Inez (Tony) Deines and Juanita and by brothers Mike and Paul Eddie. 

He is survived by sisters Rebecca (Orlando) Romero, Roseanne (Bart) Ripp, Lucille, Mary (Steve) Bingham, Josephine, Eva, Patty (Andy) Walker, Frances (Joe) Cotanch and Cathy (Kevin) Karns; and brothers John Jake (Lydia), Tom and Albert.

He is also survived by many Read More

By MARY JEAN HADLEY KERNODLE Jan. 21, 2020

Mary Jean Hadley Kernodle of Truth or Consequences joined her beloved husband, Norman, in the Lord’s presence early Tuesday morning, Jan. 21, 2020 at age 90. She passed while holding her oldest son’s hand as he sang her favorite song, “Jesus Loves Me.”

Mary Jean was born the second of three children to Indiana farmers, Fred and Fern Hadley. Farming and the Depression shaped her into a get-it-done dynamo; yet, she was outgoing and loved to tease.

Norman knew when he spotted the attractive young woman in the bright green dress that she was the one he would marry. Read More

Barbara Ann Brown Feb. 27, 2020

Barbara Ann Brown, AKA Barbara B. Sanderoff, died in her sleep Wednesday morning, Feb. 27, 2020.

She is survived by her son, Larry, her daughters Seanna and Rachel, and her sister Donna. Read More

DONALD W. BARR May 6, 1932 – Feb. 23, 2020

Don Barr was born in Worcester, MA to Addison W. and Evelyn M. Barr on May 6, 1932.

After attending public schools he earned his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts. He and Marilyn married in 1954 and moved to Berkeley, CA where Don embarked on a PhD program in radiochemistry at UC under Glenn Seaborg.

After completing his degree Don and Marilyn moved to Los Alamos where Don spent the rest of his career at LANL, achieving recognition for his research accomplishments as a lab fellow, and an E. O. Lawrence award winner. He served as Chemistry Division Read More

KENNETH JOSEPH LA GATTUTA Feb. 20, 2020

Kenneth Joseph La Gattuta, also known Joseph Kenneth La Gattuta or Ken La Gattuta, died February 20th from a rare autoimmune disease and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the lung lining, attributed to asbestos inhalation. 

Ken La Gattuta lived in San Pedro, New Mexico for 25 years with his wife Pam. 

He was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940 to parents Joseph Anthony La Gattuta, an accountant and graduate of New York University, and Josephine Smith, a housewife and high school graduate.   

Ken La Gattuta lived in New Jersey during his youth, where in the summer Read More

IVAN ‘CHICK’ BERGSTEIN Aug. 14, 1924 – Feb. 11, 2020

Ivan “Chick” Bergstein died Tuesday, February 11, 2020, of natural causes.

He was born August 14, 1924, the eighth of nine children to his mother Teresa Bergstein and thirteenth of fourteen to his father Sigmond Bergstein. 

He was predeceased in death by his wife Charlotte, brothers-in-law Ted and Herman, and twelve of his brothers and sisters. He is survived by his sons Steve (Karen) and Ken (Dolores), brother Joe (Frances), grandchildren Kelly (David), Knute and five great-grandchildren.

Chick dropped out of high school in 1942 to join Read More

GARY CLYDE SALZMAN May 25, 1942 – Feb. 7, 2020

Gary was called the “Energizer Bunny” on many occasions, because people noticed he just kept going, and going, and going. That applied to the many, and varied, projects he worked on. He liked to see things through to their completion, and he pressed on to accomplish that goal. 

Unfortunately, the rare, and lethal, undifferentiated anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, that he had been valiantly fighting, finally stopped him dead in his tracks. He succumbed to it on February 7 at the age of 77.

Gary inherited a keen intellect and a kind heart from his parents, Read More

CHARLENE COLE JOHNSON Sept. 30, 1926 – Feb. 4, 2020

Yet another living light in the world has been extinguished. Charlene Cole Johnson passed at home into the presence of her Lord on February 4, 2020 at the age of 93.

She was the daughter of Paul Cole and Maude Mayo, and was born in Leesville, Louisiana on September 30, 1926.

Charlene was raised primarily by her mother’s parents and spent her young years in Leesville and the small townships of Slagle and Cole Central, in the heart of Vernon Parrish, Louisiana. She married Jay W. Johnson at the age of 16 on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1942 at her grandparents’ Read More