Obituaries

HELGA ERNA MAXWELL Sept. 14, 1939 – June 27, 2023

Helga Erna Maxwell (Nee Scharlach), 83, died Wednesday, June 28, 2023, in Tacoma, WA, after suffering several debilitating strokes. Helga lived in West Seattle, WA, for the past 10 years, and before that resided in La Cañada, CA, for over 40 years.

Helga was born in Vienna, Austria, to Franz and Erna Scharlach. She had an older brother. Helga legally immigrated to America, with her mother, in her teens, proudly becoming a citizen. She graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) with a degree in accounting and worked as an accountant Read More

GARY M. HASTY – July 4, 1942 – Jan. 13, 2023

Gary Martell Hasty, Los Alamos High School Class of 1961, died of cancer January 13, 2023, in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

He worked for the National Park Service for over 30 years. He began his career as a fire control aid at Bandelier National Monument, then worked as a ranger at Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Shenandoah National Park, and Canyon de Chelly National Park. He became superintendent of Natural Bridges National Read More

LARRY RAY JOSEPH ROMERO June 25, 2023

Sunday, June 25, 2023, retired Los Alamos Firefighter, Larry Ray Joseph Romero, 54, of Albuquerque, NM, passed away peacefully at home with his beloved wife, children and parents by his side after a 2 ½ year battle with cancer.

Larry and the love of his life, Melissa married in June of 1991 and resided in Los Alamos and White Rock for more than 20 years. They had two amazing children, Christopher and Miranda.

In 1990, Larry began his journey of serving others with a career in the Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD). This enabled him to pursue his dream of helping others Read More

TYLER AHRENS June 26, 2023

Tyler Ahrens, beloved son, grandson, brother, boyfriend, and friend, passed away on June 26, 2023. He was born in New Mexico and was raised in Los Alamos, NM where he attended Los Alamos Public Schools and, recently, the University of New Mexico. His family and friends are deeply saddened by his passing.

Tyler was an artist at heart and appreciated art in many forms: fine art, graphic novels, anime, games, playing card design, architecture, and interior design. He sketched and drew pictures on the cards he gave to family members; his favorite holiday was Valentine’s Read More

HELEN MARIE LUETH BENSON, Aug. 16, 1920 – Nov. 26, 2022

Helen Marie Lueth Benson was grateful for her life and generous with her talents, quick to see the good in everybody, slow to criticize and one who always saw beauty everywhere. 

All that women are—all their talents, expertise, skills, time—Helen contributed to others and what she didn’t give away, she kept as adventures in her inner world. She brought much of that feminine creativity and talent to those she met.

Helen grew up in a large, extended family in Champaign, Illinois, daughter of Waldemar Lueth, a German immigrant father and Eleanor, Read More

PEGGY ALICE WILLIAMS Feb. 12, 1947 – June 6, 2023

Peggy Alice Williams was called to Heaven June 6, 2023 at the age of 76.

A New Mexican native; born Feb. 12, 1947 in Taos to Paul and Louise Iko. She had two brothers, William and Robert, and one sister, Laurie.

As a child she flourished in the Taos beauty and arts. She excelled in school and in her twenties took employment with the United Nations as a medical records administrator. This opportunity afforded her not only the ability to help people and further her education, but also to live a life of adventure; visiting
many beautiful places across all seven Read More

GEMMA MORRISON ‘JIB’ BENNETT May 30, 2023

Gemma Morrison “Jib” Bennett, born Gemma Mazelle Morrison, passed away in her home on May 30, 2023.

Jib was born in Manhattan to Jualice (Bennett Simmons) and Alfred Morrison but sometime later moved back to her mother’s home state of Georgia where she was raised, specifically in Hazlehurst with a short but memorable time on St. Simons Island.

Over the years, Jib wore many professional hats, including secretary, train dispatcher, house mother, oil field technician, writer/editor, landlord, and patent attorney.

However, what she truly sought and Read More

PATRICIA A. PIEROTTI June 6, 2023

Patricia Ann (Giles) Pierotti, age 76, passed away on June 6, 2023. Patricia, the daughter of Robert and Gloria Giles, was born in Chicago, Illinois. Patricia’s father accepted a job with the National Park Service; therefore, Patricia lived in many different western national parks throughout her early life before settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Patricia was educated in Catholic elementary schools and high school at Loretto Academy. One of her fondest memories from high school was being chosen to sing at the Loretto Chapel at Christmas Mass, while standing Read More

NICHOLAS ADAM CAPELLI March 3, 1996 – June 13, 2023

Nicholas Adam Capelli, passed away June 13, 2023 at his residence in Los Alamos, NM. Nicholas, born March 3, 1996, was only 27 years old. His family is deeply saddened by his death.

Nicholas was a beautiful and precious person inside and out. Nicholas had a heart of gold and was a remarkable young man that made impressions on even the most unlikely of people. His witty sense of humor and irresistibleness, along with his empathy and compassion charmed everyone in his life from his closest family members to strangers he just met. His willingness to help Read More

SALLY ANN NIX Oct. 5, 1935 – March 9, 2023

Sally Ann Nix passed away peacefully in her sleep in Campbell, California on March 9, 2023, at the age of 87. Sally was born in Davenport, Iowa on October 5, 1935, and was the only child of her parents, George and Ruth Wood.

Sally graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota and was a middle school teacher in San Diego, California before obtaining her master’s degree in education from the University of California, Berkeley. There she met her husband, James Rayford “Ray” Nix whom she married on August 19th, 1961. After living in Denmark for a year and traveling Read More