Obituaries

THOMAS SPICKERMANN Jan. 29, 1963 – March 11, 2016

The Celebration of Life for Thomas Spickermann will take place on Friday, April 1^st at the Hernandez Community Center from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please come reminisce and celebrate Tom’s life with his family, friends, and co-workers. 19418 US HWY 84, Hernandez. This is a potluck event.

Thomas, 53, died in a plane crash near Ohkay Owingeh airport on March 11, 2016. Also in the plane was Karen Young of Los Alamos. Karen had rented the Remos GX in Santa Fe. Tom was the co-pilot. No official word has yet been released on the cause of the crash.

Tom was employed Read More

MARK ANTHONY CHAVEZ Feb. 13, 1962 – March 6, 2016

Mark Anthony Chavez, born February 13, 1962 of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away from liver failure after a two year courageous fight. He went into the arms of the Lord peacefully on March 6, 2016.

Mark was a graduate of Los Alamos High School, class of 1980, and obtained a Certificate of Barbering in 2013 from Northern New Mexico Community College.

He was preceded in death by his oldest brother Mitchell Paul Chavez, older brother Nicholas Thomas Chavez, his oldest nephew Jason A. Smith, and brother in-law Joe E. Chavez.

He is survived by his Read More

JEWELL N. ROBERTS Dec. 8, 1918 – March 14, 2016

With the passing of Jewell Naomi Roberts in Albuquerque on March 14, 2016, the world lost a woman known among her friends and family for her indomitable will and incredible inner strength. 

Born on Dec. 8, 1918, in Van Town, Mo., to Homer L. and Cordie M. Montgomery, Jewell was the third of eight children. She was preceded in death by her parents; her four brothers, Charles, Francis, Floyd and Ralph Montgomery; and one sister, Ruth Ketchum, who had also lived in Los Alamos. She is survived by her husband, Don Roberts of Albuquerque, and her Read More

CINDY JO (TECH) WEGNER May 15, 1962 – Jan. 29, 2016

Cindy Jo (Tech) Wegner of Copperas Cove, Texas passed away on January 29, 2016 at her home after a long and courageous battle with cancer. A memorial service and inurnment will be held at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Columbarium in Los Alamos, New Mexico the end of May.

Cindy was born in Vermillion, South Dakota May 15, 1962. She was confirmed in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in 1976 and attended elementary and high school in Los Alamos, New Mexico graduating in 1980. She then went on to New Mexico State University to further her education.

Cindy was Read More

KAREN ANN YOUNG March 11, 2016

Funeral services for Karen Ann Young, 46, who died in the crash of a single engine aircraft she was flying, will be Friday, March 18, at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos. Burial will be in Gauje Pines Cemetery followed by a reception at the church’s Karen McLaughlin Parish Hall.

Young was a native of Los Alamos. She graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1987. She earned the B. S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and the Master’s and Ph.D Degrees in Materials Science, all from the University of California, Davis Campus.

She was employed Read More

NEAL ‘SCOTT’ MILLS Dec. 8, 1964 – March 14, 2016

Ouray Police Sergeant Neal “Scott” Mills, age 51, was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident on Monday, March 14, 2016.

Funeral services are scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, March 22, 2016, a police motorcade from Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors, 155 Merchant Drive, Montrose, Colo., to Grace Community Church, 16731 Woodgate Road, Montrose beginning at 9:00 A.M.

A public funeral service is scheduled for 11:00 A.M. at Grace Community Church.  Interment will immediately follow the funeral service at Grand View Cemetery, Read More

ALEX LEE SMITH March 10, 2015

Alex Lee Smith, 89, of Albuquerque, went to God on Thursday, March 10, 2016.

He is survived by his daughter, Sydney Smith; son, Stanley Smith; his grandsons, Ryan and Ashley; and five great-grandchildren, Dylan, Conner, Jackson, Landon and Savannah. He was preceded in death by his wife, Adeline Smith in 2015.

Alex spent his career working at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Later he resided in Cochiti Lake and Albuquerque. Alex was an avid wood carver as well as a hunter and fisherman.

Friends and family are invited to a Memorial Mass on Friday, March 18, 2016 at 11:00 Read More

LUIS G. SANCHEZ March 6, 2016

Luis G. Sanchez, 98, a resident of Los Alamos, passed away on Sunday, March 6, 2016 following a lengthy illness surrounded by his loving family.

He was preceded in death by his sons, Leroy Sanchez and Luis H. Sanchez; parents, Abel and Francesquita Sanchez; sister, Orlecia Archuleta and Filomena Rivera; brother, Delfino Sanchez and grandson, Daniel Sanchez.

Luis grew up on a farm on Ojo Caliente, where he met his beautiful wife Rachel in Los Alamos during WWII. Together they raised seven children. He worked as a machinist and retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Read More

GERARD DUDLEY KENDALL Nov. 9, 1949 – March 5, 2016

Gerard Dudley Kendall, 66, passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2016, in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He was born on November 9, 1949, in Houston, Texas, the son of William T. Kendall and Loretta M. DuBois. 

He is survived by his wife, two sons and daughter-in-law, a daughter and son-in-law, seven grandchildren, and four siblings.

Services will be held in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Houston, Texas. In Los Alamos, a Rosary will be recited at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 3700 Canyon Road on Friday, March 11, Read More

SUE GRAVES 1923 – March 2, 2016

Susan Finkbine Graves of Los Alamos passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday March 2nd at the age of 92. She died gracefully and quietly in the company of her husband and sons.

Known as Sue to her family and friends, she led a long and full life. Born in Storm Lake, Iowa, in 1923, Sue was the eldest daughter of Frank Mills Finkbine and Mae Reents Finkbine. Her earliest years were spent in Storm Lake along with her sister, Sally, and she was widely known in that town.

As a young woman she enjoyed roller- and ice- skating on the lake in winters, and she made it look so easy that Read More