Obituaries

EUGENE EARL DINEHART Feb. 4, 1930 – Aug. 13, 2022

Eugene Earl Dinehart, age 92, passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2022. He was born the younger identical twin on February 4, 1930, in Elkhart, IN.

Being the youngest siblings, “the twins” naturally drew extra attention and their mother enjoyed dressing them alike, having the boys photographed and entered in twin contests. Gene was always on the left. He and his twin brother, James, relished in all the usual pranks and antics of being identical twins.

They graduated from Elkhart High School in 1947 and together proudly enlisted and served in the Read More

RICHARD J. SCAMMON June 28, 1940 – Sept. 18, 2022

Richard J. Scammon was born to Raymond and J. Lucile (Larson) Scammon June 28, 1940. He peacefully passed away Sept. 18, 2022, at his home in Los Alamos, NM.

In 1945, brother Jay was born into the family. Although Rickey was born in Glendive, MT, he grew up and attended schools in Wibaux, MT, graduating with the class of ’58 as salutatorian. He continued his education at Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) and after graduating there entered the US Air Force.

During this time in the military, he also attended University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. Following Read More

JULIA ROSE WHITWORTH March 27, 1967 – Sept. 28, 2022

Julia Rose Whitworth passed away suddenly in the early morning hours of September 28, 2022. She was born on March 27, 1967, to John and Harriet Whitworth in McAllen, TX.

Julia is preceded in death by her father, John and daughter Sophia Rose.

She is survived by her husband Alex Feldman; her mother, Harriet; two brothers, three sisters, two stepsons, and numerous adored grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Julia’s love of learning and adventure started at an early age. She graduated high school two years early as the valedictorian. After completing Read More

PEGGY RENEAU Sept. 11, 1952 – Sept. 15, 2022

Peggy Reneau of White Rock passed away Sept. 15, 2022, of complications that followed treatment for lymphoma.

She was born Margaret Ruth Youngman Sept. 11, 1952, and raised on a farm in Winfield, Iowa. She was an athletic girl, playing basketball and running in high school, as well as playing saxophone in the marching band.

Peggy had multiple careers in her life, starting in the medical field after graduating from the Medical Institute of Minnesota in 1971. Escaping the cold winters of the Midwest, she moved to Arizona in 1978 where she developed new interests Read More

SALLY ANN HOLT June 24, 1934 – Sept. 25, 2022

A loving wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend, Sally Ann Holt went to be with the Lord on September 25, 2022, at the age of 88, in Oxford, Mississippi.

She was born on June 24, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas and moved to Los Alamos in 1952 with her husband Joseph Marion Holt, Jr. They built their own house in Pajarito Acres and lived there until Joseph’s passing in 2010, when Sally relocated to Mississippi.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Holt, Jr.; parents, Christopher and Annie Orth; brother, Christie Orth and sister-in-law, Sylvia Orth. Read More

DALE ALAN ABRAMS July 31, 1945 – July 14, 2022

It is with great sadness that Dale Alan Abrams lost his final battle with Alzheimer’s, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson’s on July 14, 2022, after a stroke. He was 76 years old.

Dale was born on July 31, 1945, in Floral Park, New York to Joseph Abrams and Katherine Twomey. He attended Bellport High School until 1963 when his parents moved with the LEM Project (Lunar Module) to Albuquerque. Dale then graduated in 1964 from Sandia High School where he met his high school sweetheart and future wife Nancy Ellen Johnson. He attended the University of New Mexico Read More

PAULA FAY ADAMS Feb. 20, 1948 – Sept. 10, 2022

Paula Faye Adams, 74, passed away Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at Anna Kasman Hospice Hospital in Albuquerque.

Paula was married for a short time in her mid-twenties, and was blessed with a set of twin boys, Donald Adams who lives in Los Lunas, NM, and Dale Adams (deceased). They were often referred to as Chip and Dale by their friends and family.

Born in Pocatello, ID, on February 20, 1948, to Patsy and Dale Bolton (both deceased), Paula had three siblings. Her sisters, Pamela Inhoff, from Glendale, AZ, and Robi Lynn, residing in Show Low, AZ. Her brother, Read More

THERESA (TERI) DALY July 12, 1960 – April 14, 2022

April 14, 2022, Theresa (Teri) Daly, at the age of 61 passed away while on vacation in India.

Teri was born July 12, 1960; to Robert and Olivia Baca. She worked for Los Alamos National Laboratory for 25 years and had degrees from ITT institute and the University of New Mexico.

She raised a son and a daughter, Chris and Melanie. Teri was a very dedicated member of The Society for Creative Anachronism and was very active in the group. As such, She developed and was very adapt at a number of skills. She was an excellent researcher and cook of Medieval and ancient Read More

JO ANN PAINTER Feb. 18, 1949 – Sept. 9, 2022

Jo Ann lived in Los Alamos for 50 years.

She worked at LANL as a secretary and did photo composition and this started her into computers. Jo Ann was selected to enter a LANL program to gain a degree in Computer Science. She graduated in 1995 and became a LANL staff member. She worked on programs that took her around the country and overseas.

During this time period she helped raise two boys. The oldest went to the US Naval Academy and sent 20 years in the Marine Corp as a helicopter pilot. The second son went to UNM and now does computer system management.

After retiring Read More

JUANITA R. CHAVEZ May 9, 1933 – Sept. 10, 2022

Our living treasure Juanita R. Chavez, 89, of Los Alamos, transitioned peacefully September 10, 2022, with her Lord and Savior. Her beautiful soul left this world surrounded by her family.

Juanita was born in Torreon, NM on May 9, 1933, to Juan and Maria Chavez. She attended Estancia School district completing the 8th grade. She lived in Albuquerque, NM with her sisters Cecilia Sanchez and Nestora Baca cleaning homes for affluent families.

Juanita met Arsenio Chavez who was employed with the Zia Company, and they were married January 2, 1954. Arsenio Read More

AURITA ‘JUNE’ BIRD Feb. 17, 1935 – Sept. 2, 2022

Mrs. Aurita “June” Bird passed away peacefully on September 2, 2022, in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, at the age of 87 years old.

June is preceded in death by her mother Theresa (Haddock), her father Aubrey McCulloch, and by her brother Ronald Gene McCulloch. June is survived by her loving husband Paul Bird of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, her son Fred Bird and his wife June of New Canaan, Connecticut, her son David Bird and his wife Catherine of Chicago, Illinois, and by her daughter Jennifer Newton and her husband Richard of Santa Fe, NM.

June is also survived by her Read More

CHRISTOPHER FITZGIBBON April 5, 1949 – May 29, 2022

Christopher Fitzgibbon, a resident of Los Alamos passed away on Sunday, May 29, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nancy Scott and Francis Joseph Fitzgibbon, Sr.; brother, Joe Fitzgibbon; nephew, Timothy Fitzgibbon; and brother in-law, R. Michael Trujillo.

Born in Los Alamos on April 5, 1949, Chris attended Los Alamos public schools, graduating in 1967. He was a talented athlete in high school, lettering in baseball at LAHS. He continued a lifelong passion for baseball, from childhood pick up games played in a vacant lot by neighborhood Read More

ALEXANDER KENT KENDRICK Jan. 29, 1993 – Sept. 4, 2022

Alexander Kent Kendrick, Ph.D., 29, of Los Alamos, NM, lost his valiant battle with brain cancer surrounded by his wife Caroline and family in his home Sunday, Sept. 4, 2022.

Born to Laura (Tharp) and Brian Kendrick in Burnsville, Minnesota Jan. 29, 1993, the family moved to Los Alamos when Alexander was a baby. He attended the Los Alamos County schools.

Alexander loved caving with his father and his younger brother Coleman and joined the Pajarito Grotto when he was 8 years old. This passion of caving led Alexander to develop a digital cave radio Read More

HELEN FULLER Aug. 25, 2022

Helen Fuller’s fortunate life drew to a close Aug. 25, 2022, at age 89. She died peacefully surrounded by family a few weeks after falling and breaking a hip while hiking.

She was born in Denison, Texas, the second daughter of Walter Greene and Willie Rice Langston. Helen credits her father for her love of making people laugh by saying funny things and being silly. She was also incredibly smart and studied math with a minor in physics at Baylor University where she met her future husband Jack Fuller.

They married two days after Helen graduated from college at the age of 20. Read More

MARILYN ANNABELLE (WEBSTER) FINNEGAN Sept. 7, 1926 – Aug. 28, 2022

Marilyn Annabelle (Webster) Finnegan was born on September 7, 1926, to Amelia (Zacharias) Webster and Jay Webster in Decatur, Illinois. Her father, a World War 1 veteran, died when Marilyn was just ten, and the family moved to Fort Thomas, Kentucky, where Marilyn met George Finnegan, her high school sweetheart and future husband.

After George finished his service in World War 2, George and Marilyn married and brought six children into the world. In addition to caring for her family, Marilyn worked in a variety of capacities, Read More

BETTY V. WILDE 1928 – 2022

Betty Wilde, 94, left the mortal coil after a long, slow decline. Her children surrounded her in her final days.

She was born and raised in New York City, but first came to Los Alamos in 1949 as a newlywed when her first husband was a graduate student working at the Lab that summer. At that time she was married to Robert Thorn, and after he completed his education in Cambridge, they returned to Los Alamos, and she had been a resident of New Mexico for many years. She and Robert had four children together: daughters Karen, Kyle, and Gretchen, and one son, Robert (Nick), Jr.

Following Read More

KEITH D. CARTER Nov. 12, 1932 – Aug. 24, 2022

Keith D. Carter born Nov. 12, 1932, in Limon, Colo., to William Ralph and Myrtle Carter, resident of Redlands, Calif., and later Española, NM passed away Aug. 24, at his home in La Mesilla, NM.

Outgoing, caring, and generous he enjoyed his retirement from Los Alamos National Laboratory working as a greeter at Walmart in Española. 

Always ready with a smile, a joke or just friendly banter he loved to brighten people’s days.

As a father and grandfather, Keith endowed us with a true sense of what it means to be human. Never hiding nor disregarding emotions he Read More

JOSEPH MICHAEL PINKERTON June 18, 1980 – Aug. 18, 2022

Aug. 18, 2022, Joseph Michael Pinkerton passed away in Santa Fe at the age of 42.

Joseph is predeceased in death by Mara Padilla and leaves behind his child, Ashur Pinkerton; mother, Sheree Pinkerton; brother, Jared Pinkerton; sister, Michelle Diaz; nieces, Jordan Pinkerton and Kieira Aisling; sister-in law, Estrella Pinkerton; brother-in-law, Pedro Diaz; Devlyn Villalobos-Iturralde; and friends who loved Joseph as family.

Joseph was born June 18, 1980, in Santa Ana, CA. After graduating from Los Alamos High School in 1997, Joseph Read More

ERIC JAMES NOVEROSKE 1988 – July 24, 2022

FOREVER LOVED

The family of Eric James Noveroske announces the untimely loss of our beloved son and nephew. Eric passed away, unexpectedly, of natural causes in his home in Leadville, Colorado on July 24, 2022. He was 34 years old.

A native of White Rock, New Mexico, Eric graduated from Los Alamos High School in 2006. After high school he worked at landscaping, Pajarito Mountain Ski Hill, and the Los Alamos County Golf Course. He attended classes at the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos Campus, and studied “Ski Area Operations” at Colorado Mountain College, Read More

ELIZABETH ‘BETSY’ OLSEN SAVARESE Aug. 16, 2022

Born and raised in Los Alamos, New Mexico, Elizabeth “Betsy” Olsen Savarese, somewhat reluctant and serious at the age of eight was encouraged, by her parents, Jim and Barbara, to try the Los Alamos Aquatomics swim team. She dove in headfirst and the water and chlorine activated her spirit. From that point on Betsy swam her way through life. Betsy valued the lessons taught by competitive swimming: persistence and hard work, the joy of meaningful camaraderie, the thrill of competition and achievement, and the sheer fun of it. She just kept swimming…and Read More

ETHEN L. “SWEDE” L. EKBERG Sept. 1, 1929 – Aug. 23, 2022

Longtime Espanola resident Ethen L. “Swede” Ekberg, 92, ended his standoff with that mortal foe cancer peacefully at home on August 23, 2022.

Ethen was born the 7th of 8 children on September 1, 1929, at the family farm near Broadwater, Neb.

To say Swede could accomplish anything he set his mind to would be a significant understatement. He lived a remarkable 92 years that was filled with accomplishments, tremendous love, and adventure. Born on the farm on the eve of the Great Depression he embodied the values he learned growing up: an incredible Read More

DEBORAH COLEEN SPORE March 4, 1951 – Aug. 24, 2022

Deborah Coleen Spore, 71, resident of Española, NM passed away August 24, 2022, at the hospital with family by her side. She was a strong Kiowa woman who fought hard but succumbed to a long battle of illness.

She was born March 4, 1951, to Hawley Tsoodle and Mary Ruth (Redbird) Tsoodle in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Debbie met Jay in the 8th grade in Newkirk, Oklahoma. They were married in Newkirk on August 28. 1969. They were the love of each other’s life for 53 years. To this union they have two daughters Candace Katrina and wife Carol of Frederick, Maryland, and Read More

VERNON V. HAYWOOD, Jr. June 29, 1950 – July 7, 2022

Vernon V. Haywood, Jr. passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, July 7th in Tucson, AZ.  

Vernon, (Vern as he was known by family and friends) was born in Mesa, AZ, the only son of Imogene Vivian and Vernon V. Haywood Sr. (Col. U.S. Air Force).

His father who trained as a Tuskegee Airman, served honorably as a fighter pilot in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. As typical of military families, Vern spent much of his childhood growing up and living in locations such as the Philippines, Japan, as well as New York, and New Mexico, and experiencing the different Read More

CHARLES TURNER APEL April 28, 1931 – June 23, 2022

On June 23, 2022, Charles (Charlie) Turner Apel, loving husband and father of five children, passed away peacefully while surrounded by family. He was 91.

Charlie was born April 28, 1931, in Kearney, Nebraska to Charles and Grace Apel. After moving several times in his youth, Charlie graduated from Saranac Lake High School in New York in 1948. He received his Bachelor of Science in 1952 from Morehead State University with majors in chemistry and physics and a minor in mathematics. While at Morehead, he earned money by working summers at the Lake Read More

JANIS ANN CABBELL WHITE Dec. 16, 1937 – Aug. 23 2022 

Janis Ann Cabbell White (Jan) was born in Borger, TX Dec. 16, 1937 and passed from this earth Tuesday, Aug. 23 at the age of 84.

She graduated from Borger High School in 1954. She attended West Texas State University, in Canon TX for 2 years. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do for a career so she decided to go to beauty school in Amarillo, TX to be able to help put herself through dental hygiene school in Dallas.

She graduated from Baylor Dental Hygiene school in 1961. After this, she was looking for “adventure” and Los Alamos sounded like a good spot. Read More

PATRICIA ANN OAKES MELVIN July 23, 2022

Patricia Ann Oakes Melvin, 74, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2022 at home in Indio, California. Pat was born in 1948 in Los Alamos, NM, and was the third of five children of William R. Oakes and Josephine H. Oakes. She loved growing up with her large family and remained close with her brother, sisters, and their families throughout her life.

Pat graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1966 and attended New Mexico State University, where she studied theater. She met the love of her life, William “Bill” Melvin, one summer night when she was home Read More

MARGARET RUTH FARRIS NEHER July 21, 2022

Margaret Ruth Farris Neher passed away July 21, 2022.

She was born in Fresno, CA and was the first of four children. She was nick-named, “Margaruth,” by her parents and later went by “Meg.”

Meg grew up in “Hollywood Land” as it was previously named before it became “Hollywood.” She graduated from Pomona College in 1943 with a bachelor’s in chemistry and was married to the love of her life, Leland Neher, in May of 1943. Her pilot father, Pat Farris’s response to Lee’s proposal for Meg’s hand in marriage was; “Well… Margaret Ruth always gets what she wants!” Read More

BRIAN WAYNE EMKEIT Aug. 20, 1941 – Aug. 19, 2022

We are sad to announce the passing of Brian Wayne Emkeit of Los Alamos, New Mexico. He fought a long hard battle with prostate and bone cancer.

Brian died at the age of 80 on August 19, 2022, just 12 hours before his 81st birthday.

Brian was born on August 20, 1941, in Oakland, California. He grew up in Nyack, New York. He served two years as a Merchant Marine and got a teaching degree at the University of New York. Brian taught for several years in Tuba City, Arizona, and Safford, Arizona. He returned to school and received a degree in civil engineering from Read More

JERRY (GERALD THOMAS) MORTON Aug. 5, 2022

Jerry (Gerald Thomas) Morton, a free riding spirit went home to ride free Aug. 5, 2022.

A man of mystique and intrigue that will be missed. A man with a mind that was only capable of thinking outside of the box. A man that was an entrepreneur and always reaching for the next best thing. A man that “wouldn’t ask nobody for nothing if he couldn’t get it on his own”.

Jerry loved a good classic rock song and a.m. talk radio or a good chuckwagon band. If you were special to him, he probably had a nickname for you. 

He had a passion for nature and rafting the river was a great Read More

DANNY KATZMAN Dec. 1, 1960 – Aug. 14, 2022

Danny Katzman passed away Aug. 14, 2022. He was born in Odessa, Texas Dec. 1, 1960 to Israeli emigrants Arie and Ziporah Katzman and grew up playing with bullfrogs, racing slot cars, and listening to Bob Dylan.

He attended Permian High School in Odessa, then attended the University of Texas in Austin. On a geology field trip to Taos, he fell in love with New Mexico skies and rocks and decided to move after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Geology in 1985.

In Taos, he taught himself to fly fish in remote streams, learned to taste the earth, and to appreciate the Read More

NIELS RICHARD BORCH Aug. 4, 1930 – Aug. 16, 2022

Niels Richard Borch passed away in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Tuesday, August 16, at 92, after a long, peaceful decline.

Niels was born on August 4, 1930, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Lilly Merete Hein and Ole Gotfred Borch.

The first child of Danish immigrants, much of Niels’ early years were spent in a string of locations around the west and midwest, as the Great Depression forced his father, an electrician, to pursue work wherever he could find it. Niels shared stories of a cold winter spent in a boxcar with his parents and two younger brothers in Horse Creek, Read More

JOE BURTON MEACHAM – July 16, 2022

With heavy hearts, Pam Meacham and family announce the sudden passing of Joe Burton Meacham at his home in Albuquerque. He had recently celebrated his 74th birthday.

Joe lived in Turkey, Texas until graduating from Turkey High School. His earliest job was working in his dad’s grocery store. After graduation, he attended Texas Tech University where he studied Accounting. 

After his time at Texas Tech, he followed his family to Los Alamos, New Mexico where he often worked multiple jobs at the same time — at his dad’s liquor store, bartending at the Los Alamos Inn, Read More

SHIRLEY ANN RAY March 27, 1931 – Aug. 4, 2022

Shirley left this world Aug. 4, 2022, and survived cancer 4 times, which started in 2001.

Unfortunately, in the end her heart was too weak to continue the fight and she passed at the age of 91.

Shirley was born March 27, 1931, to Leora C. and Bernard F. Wipplinger in Waterloo, Iowa and was baptized at Trinity American Lutheran Church. She graduated from East Waterloo High School in 1949.

While attending High School she worked at KenMar Drug Store after school and Sundays, de–tasseled corn in the summer for 3 dollars a day and baby sat. Saturdays, she Read More

PATRICIA E. BOYER June 2, 1955 – Aug. 1, 2022

Patricia E. Boyer passed away Aug. 1.

She is survived by two sons, Jeremiah and Jason, grandson Quinn, mother Norma Ellingwood, and four brothers, Robert Jr., Edward, Scott, and Brian Ellingwood.

She was born June 2, 1955 in Upland CA., grew up in Southern California, Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Finger Lakes area in Upstate New York.

She left New York in 1996 for Santa Cruz, CA graduating from University of California, Santa Cruz in 2000 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, 2001 from Harvard with a Master’s in Education, and 2007 from University of New Mexico Read More

JERRY POWER CONNER March 20, 1927 – July 1, 2022

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Jerry Power Conner announces his passing on July 1, 2022. Our beloved father was born in Sherman, Texas on March 20, 1927. He was the only son of Maude Power Conner and Vester Conner and spent his formative years both on the farm and in Houston. He served in the US Navy in the final years of World War II where he received training in Naval aircraft electronics. After discharge he returned to Houston to marry his sweetheart, Annie Lela Lee, on September 7, 1947, and to pursue his college education.

After obtaining his Read More