Grant County, New Mexico Obituaries and Death Notices

Clara Ponce Acosta
Clara Ponce Acosta, a longtime Silver City resident, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, July 8, 2008. She was preceded in death by her parents, Porfirio Ponce of Silver City and Rosa (Gomez) Ponce of Santa Clara. Her son, Edward, of Denver, Colo., and three sisters, Christina Terrazas, Genoveva Santa Maria and Bertha Ramos, all of Silver City, survive her. Many nieces and nephews also survive her. Her loving humor and kind heart will be missed. Mass was celebrated at 10 this morning at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. Interment followed in the Catholic Cemetery in Silver City. [Silver City Daily Press, 11 July 2008 - Sub. by FoFG]

S. M. Ashenfelter
S. M. Ashenfelter, one of the best known attorneys of the New Mexico bar, died Tuesday morning at Silver City of paralysis of the heart. He had resided in New Mexico since 1872. [Arizona Silver Belt (Globe City, Pinal County, Ariz.) January 25, 1906 - Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]

Funeral of E. W. Dickinson
Funeral services for Edward W. Diskinson, 63 years old, prominent New Mexico ranchman, who died at Whitewater, N. M., Monday, were held at 2:30 oclock this afternoon from the Peak chapel. Mr. Dickinson was heavily interested in El Paso real estate. [El Paso Herald, El Paso, Texas, November 6, 1919 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]

William Preston Dorsey
William Preston Dorsey, discoverer of the Telegraph mining district in Grant county and who was intimately connected with the development of mining throughout the Southwest, died Sunday at his home in Tyrone, at the age of 74 years. Mr. Dorsey was one of the pioneers of the famous Hillsboro district in Sierra county, and made his way into Grant county when it was overrun with Indians and was considered a remote frontier. Indians had no terrors for Mr. Dorsey and he established a ranch on Bear Creek long before Silver City was considered safe for white people. The rifle which he used in those days still remains in the family as an heirloom and was brought to the west from his home in Missouri. When the work of building the Santa Fe railway was started along the Santa Fe trail Mr. Dorsey returned to Kansas and for several years was a foreman of railroad grading outfits. He returned to New Mexico in 1880 and has been in the mining business ever since. He was well known throughout the Southwest and leaves a host of friends to mourn his demise.
[Deming Headlight, Jun 11, 1920]

Miguel Gomez
Date: 1950
Obit: The funeral of Miguel Gomez, who died at his home Friday, May 26 following a long illness, was held last Sunday at the Cox Mortuary Chapel. Burial was in the Santa Clara Cemetery. Prior to the service a funeral mass was said at the Santa Clara Church. The deceases a was a lifetime resident of Grant County. He was born in Las Cruces in 1871. Survivors are his widow, Marcelina; four sons, Juan of Silver City, Pete of Phoenix, Ariz., Joe of Central and Nestor of Los Angeles; and four daughters, Mrs. Manuel Pena of Tolleson, Ariz.., Mrs. Matilde Mendoza of Compton, Calif., and Miss Beatrice Gomez of Central. There are also 19 grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Marcelina V. Gomez
Date: 1961
Obit: Mrs. Marcelina V. Gomez, 87, of Central, passed away Sunday at Hillcrest Hospital. Born in Mesilla Park, Dona Ana County, she had lived in Grant County for many years. Surviving are four sons, Juan, Pete, Jose and Nestor Gomez, all of Silver City, four daughters, Mrs. Porfirio Ponce, Silver City, Mrs. Manuel Pena, Los Angeles, Mrs. Pete Ramos, Compton, Ca., and Beatrice Gomez, Central, 20 grandchildren. Rosary services will be held Tuesday evening at the Curtis Mortuary Chapel. Mass was said at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Santa Clara Catholic Church, Central, the Rev. Fr. Culmir Petraukas, officiating. Burial was in Central Cemetery.

Jesse B. "Red" Johnston
Jesse B. "Red" Johnston, 80, a Silver City resident, died Tuesday morning at Gila Regional Medical Center. He was born Feb. 10, 1916, in Pawhuska, Okla., to Jesse C, and Rosa Lee Johnston. Mr. Johnston was a master mechanic. He worked at Harris Motors, Heaston Langandorf Motors and Skillman Motors in Silver City. While residing in Raton, he operated Red's Auto Service for several years. He had a wonderful sense of humor and had a funny story for every occasion. He was a king, humble man who loved his family and his many friends, and enjoyed doing things for them. He will be sadly missed by his wife and all his family and many friends. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Genevieve. He is also survived by his Sons, Jesse Johnston of Questa and John Douglas Johnston of Hayward Calif., his sisters, Alice Guinn and her husband, Bill, of Burbank, Calif., and Lenora Friar of Bakersfield, Calif.; a brother, Floyd Johnston, and his wife, Kathryn of Tulsa, OK and six grandchildren, Sheri Johnston, Dodie McVetty, David Johnston, Neteri Reynolds, Emslee Flynn and Jessica Johnston. He is also survived by several great-grandchildren; and two nieces, Val Bustillos, Annette Houtz. Visitation will began at 5 this evening at the Curtis-Bright Funeral Home chapel. A prayer vigil will be held at 7. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Friday at 10 a.m. with the Reverend Rod Garvey officiating. Interment will follow at the Catholic Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Maurice Aragon, Andy Padilla, Sam Barrera, Tino Barrera Jr., Tommy Ryan, Steve Aguirre Jr., and Steve Houtz. Honorary pallbearers will be Pancho Randall Elton Rikel, Bobby Torres and Orval Oldham. Family members selected Curtis-Bright and Lordsburg Funeral Home to serve them.[Silver City Daily Press, 1997]

Sidney L. Lewis
HOMESTEADER KILLED BY LIGHTNING BOLT DURING STORM
July 28,1927 -- Sidney L. Lewis meets instant death on ranch in Greenwood Canyon northwest of Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico.
RIDING OVER THE RANGE -- At the time the victim met death he was out looking for horses. The body was not found until morning when searchers discovered the crumpled form of the rider and horse not far from the ranch home. The deceased came to Grant County about a year ago from Texas, where the body is shipped for interment. He is survived by his widow and other relatives.
Sidney L. Lewis 32 years old, a homesteader residing in Greenwood Canyon about 25 miles northwest of Silver City was struck by a bolt of lightning about 4 o'clock Thursday afternoon while riding over the range of his ranch looking for horses. The fatal shaft not only brought instant death to the rider, but the horse was also killed.
Lewis had left the ranch on horseback and while riding along a timbered ridge, a thunder storm came up. The bolt struck him in the back near the shoulder and went through his body, the saddle, and the horse. Both fell in a crumpled heap. When he did not return home by dust his wife, Mrs. Betty Lewis became alarmed and fearful some accident had befallen her husband, and notified nearby neighbors. A search began, but because of the darkness of the night this accomplished little. The next morning not far from the ranch house a searching party came upon the body of Lewis and the carcass of the horse. A autopsy examination revealed that both had been killed by lightning.
BODY BROUGHT HERE -- The body was brought to Silver City to Cox's Mortuary where it was prepared for burial. It was shipped Saturday to Dallas, Texas, where the parents of the deceased live, for final interment being accompanied by the grief-stricken widow.
Lewis came to Silver City about a year ago from Texas with a brother B.W. Lewis, and the two had taken up government land with a view of embarking in the goat business.
At the time of his death Lewis was engaged in Building a permanent house on his homestead, and otherwise improving it. He was well known throughout the district where he lived.
This is the first fatality this year in this county due to lightning, although considerable stock has been killed.
[Obituary was written by family in 1927, Courtesy of Lee Peacock, Jan Greer, Lucille Barry McJilton, Fay Griffin. -- Transcribed by Mary Lafferty Wilson]

Tom S. Parker, Pioneer, Dies
Located Town of Tyrone, N. M., Now Big Mine and Smelter Center
News has been received here of the death in Rochester, Minn., of Capt. Thomas S. Parker, retired pioneer mine owner of the Tyrone district, near Silver City, N. M., at the age of 70 years. He had gone frequently of late years to Rochester for medical treatment for stricture of the aesophagus which he suffered from for a long time. He was twice married, his daughter residing in San Diego, Cal., and his second wife making her home in Washington, D. C.
About 40 years ago Capt. Parker, civil war veteran, plains railroad builder and Indian scout in the campaign under Gen. Crook against the Apaches, rode across the little pine clad valley where Tyrone, the mine and smelter city of the Phelps-Dodge corporation, now is located, decided that he would settle there and did so later, acquiring an immense acreage of land covering copper and turquoise veins.
Sells Holdings; Moves to El Paso
He promoted a number a exploitation companies, made and lost several fortunes and finally sold the last of his holdings to the Phelps-Dodge agents in 1914, breaking up his home in the little sanatorium city he had built and moving to El Paso. After living in Castle Heights addition for a time he went to California and later to eastern sanatoriums in search of relief from his affliction.
Capt. Parker said when he was last at Tyrone he wanted to be buried there. No information was received as to whether his wish will be carried out. He was reputed to have held thousands of dollars in interest bearing securities of eastern railroads and industrials. He once said that he had never invested much money in mining stocks, but had spent fortunes endeavoring to develop mineral bearing veins. He was well known by the pioneer business men of El Paso, having been here frequently since the beginning of the building of this city. [El Paso Herald, El Paso, Texas, July 16, 1917 - Submitted by Dale Donlon]

Carrie M. Tabor
Mrs. Carrie M. Tabor, Died at Pinos Altos, New Mexico, Aug. 19, Mrs. Carrie M., wife of John W. Taber, formerly of this city.
[The Henry Republican, September 6, 1883 - Sub. by Nancy Piper]