Obituaries

MANUEL “MANNIE” MARTINEZ, JR. Nov. 8, 1939 – Sept.13, 2015

Manuel “Mannie” Martinez, Jr. of Espanola, NM passed away unexpectedly in Santa Fe, NM on September 13, 2015 at the age of 75.

Manuel is survived by his daughter Liz Martinez of Espanola, NM; granddaughter Kyanna Martinez of Espanola, NM; grandson Travis Martinez and his wife Britney Martinez of Espanola, NM; & close family friend Linda Collier of Los Alamos, NM.

He is preceded in death by his wife Pauline C. Martinez of Espanola, NM; mother Louisa Martinez of La Villita, NM; his sister Melina Trujillo of Chamita, NM; & brother Read More

EDDIE VAN HARRISON Jan. 7, 1936 – Sept. 3, 2015

Eddie Van Harrison, 79, of Los Alamos, passed away unexpectedly on September 3, 2015.

Eddie was born January 7, 1936, in Altus, Oklahoma, to Edwin Harrison and Verna Van Cleave Harrison. Verna passed away shortly after Eddie’s birth, after which Edwin moved to Gallup, NM.

He married Polly Gonzales of Gallup on Dec. 9, 1941. The family moved to Los Alamos in the spring of 1945 during the final months of the Manhattan Project.

As a teenager Eddie competed in local rodeos, where he rode bucking broncos. He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1953, Read More

NINA LAURITSEN LUJAN Sept. 11, 2015

Nina Lauritsen Lujan, 71, was welcomed into Heaven Sept. 11, 2015. She was the daughter of the late Mads and Kira Lauritsen.

Nina was an honor graduate of Bayport-Blue Point High School on Long Island (1961) and Wagner College (1965) where she received a degree in elementary education. During her college years she spent a semester in Bergenz, Austria. She graduated from the University of Hawaii (1968) with a master’s degree in special education.

Nina taught for 30 years mostly in Los Alamos, N.M. She was excellent teacher and was admired by coworkers, Read More

JACK FULLER Sept. 7, 2015

Jack Fuller, 83, has laid down his hiking poles for the last time.

Only a month ago, he and his wife Helen returned from a hiking trip to Iceland, which included soaking in the natural hot springs there. Multiple Myeloma unexpectedly cut short his vital life.

Jack was a man ahead of his time. A native of Palestine, Texas, he graduated high school at age 16, graduated college at 20 and got his PhD in physics by age 24. After graduation, he taught physics for two years at Baylor University, his alma mater.

It’s also where he met his future bride, Helen Langston. They took a chemistry Read More

MARY JEAN SKARRA Dec. 14, 1949 – Aug. 29, 2015

Mary Jean Skarra passed away peacefully on the evening of Saturday, August 29th after an arduous experience with brain cancer.

Mary was born on December 14th, 1949 and is survived by her daughter, Isis Skarra-Pergler-Stoffers and her husband, Joe Stoffers; her grandson, Greyson Stoffers; Her sisters Terese Skarra and Susan Skarra; her brothers, David Skarra, Paul Skarra, Mike Skarra, and Stuart Skarra; and her former husband Charles Pergler. She was preceded in death by her brother John Skarra and her parents Perry and Rozelle Skarra.

She Read More

RICHARD A. “DICK” KELLER Sept. 1, 2015

Richard A. “Dick” Keller, a Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory, died on September 1, 2015 in Los Alamos, NM. He was 80 years old. His death was related to his long struggle with Parkinson’s disease.

Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Dick lived with his family in Los Alamos since 1976 where he distinguished himself in the field of analytical chemistry, earning an international reputation. Among his contributions to science, the most notable was his pioneering of single molecule detection, a technique he and his collaborators applied to DNA sequencing as part Read More

JACKIE C. MARTINEZ Aug. 31, 2015

Jackie Martinez, age 66, our family’s strongest supporter and protector, passed away Monday, August 31, 2015 from complications of lung cancer.

Jackie was born in Los Alamos in 1949 and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1967. He continued to have a very close relationship with several of his high school buddies, the Los Alamos “Clan.”

Jackie had three beautiful daughters and a stepson that he was so very proud of and close to. In 1985 he married the love of his life and best friend, Jana. They had one of those very unique and special marriages one rarely sees. Read More

JEANNE COLLINS BARCK July 29, 2015

Jeanne Collins Barck of Espanola, New Mexico passed away in her home on July 29, 2015.

She was born in Cedartown, Georgia, in 1936, the daughter of Emily Sanders Collins and William Goodall Collins. After earning degrees from Duke University, she moved to New Mexico and taught at the New Mexico Girls’ School in Albuquerque, served as a school principal and worked in various education roles in schools in Los Lunas, Farmington, Anthony, and Pojoaque. She was also Assistant Director in the Title I Office of the New Mexico Department of Education, auditing programs Read More

STEPHEN ‘GREG’ GRAVENER May 3, 1971 – Aug. 20, 2015

Stephen “Greg” Gravener, born May 3, 1971, in Riverside, California passed away at his home in El Rito, New Mexico on August 20, 2015, at the age of 44.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Sue Gravener, and grandparents Clarence and Betty Gravener, and Lloyd and Maudie Prescott.

Greg moved to Kingman, Arizona with his family in 1980, and graduated from Kingman High School in 1989. He attended Idaho State University, and served his country in the United States Navy.

Greg was employed at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Among his many talents and Read More

KENNETH ALFRED SIMI Aug. 21, 2015

Kenneth Alfred Simi, age 61, passed away on Aug. 21, 2015 following a sudden onset of aggressive metastatic cancer.

He was born in Los Alamos, NM. He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1973. He attended NMSU. He spent many years in retail service. 

Kenneth loved the mountains, glad of growing up in the Jemez Mountains. He had a passion for all animals. He especially loved his two pug dogs named Reebok and M.C. Escher. He was grateful for time spent with him by family and friends. He was a kind and generous person, happy with life’s simple pleasures much preferring Read More