Obituaries

AMBERLY ROSE DYE June 27, 2015

Amberly Rose Dye, 20, went to be with the Lord on June 27, 2015. Everyone who knew her will miss her beauty, smile and generosity of spirit.

Amberly is survived by her mother Denise Ewy (Gary), her father David N. Dye (Dawn), her fiancé Dustin Nelson, her brothers Weston and Dustin Dye, her grandparents Joyce and Jim Ross, and Janis and Neal Dye, several aunts, uncles, cousins and too many friends to personally mention.

Cremation has taken place by Rivera Family Funerals of Santa Fe. A memorial to follow will be announced at a later date. A memorial fund has been set up by Read More

MITCHELL PAUL CHAVEZ July 10, 1949 – June 16, 2015

Our beloved Mitchell Paul Chavez was called home on the evening of Tuesday, June 16th after battling the complications of gall bladder surgery for several weeks.

Mitch is survived by his parents, Pascual and Margaret Chavez, younger siblings Annette, Mark, Stephanie, James, Francesca and Stephen, his son Anthony Chavez and daughter Brittany Chavez, grandchildren Monique, Winter and Jayla, brother-in-law Kendal Giles, nieces and nephews Jason, Andrea, Marcello, Ryan, Nicole, Vanessa, Michaela, Gabriel, Dylan and Sophia and countless Read More

MIRIAM BALOG Nov. 12, 1929 – June 16, 2015

Sisu. If you are not of Finnish descent, this probably means nothing to you. If you look Sisu up on Google, you’ll still have difficulty truly understanding it. However, if you knew Mim, you know what Sisu is. 

Miriam lived Sisu, day in and day out. From her early days leaving Wyoming to support the love of her life, George, to the rearing of four children, she instilled in them the same values of determination, bravery, resilience, perseverance, tenacity and honesty that she so heartily espoused.

Family excursions all over the US and Canada were the Read More

MICHAEL F. JOHNSON March 10, 1956 – June 19, 2015

Michael F. Johnson, 59, of Los Alamos, New Mexico, passed away on June 19, 2015 in Santa Fe, New Mexico from complications from chemotherapy.

Born on March 10, 1956 in Ogden, Utah to Ralph Grange Johnson Jr. and Athleen Folger, Michael served an LDS mission in the Michigan, Lansing mission. He married Connie Leone Blair on July 12, 1979 in the Salt Lake Temple.

Michael and Connie lived in Layton, Utah and Wickenburg, Ariz., eventually settling in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Michael owned Johnson Brothers Electric with his brother LeGrand.

A dedicated Read More

RONALD DEAN HOLMES Jan. 2, 1948 – June 12, 2015

Ronald Dean Holmes, 67, of Georgetown, Texas, formerly of Los Alamos, New Mexico passed away on June 12, 2015 with family by his side. Ron was a pillar of strength, courageously battling kidney cancer for the past ten years.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, June 19, 2015 at Berry Springs Park, 1801 Co Road 152, Georgetown, Texa 78626. At a later date, a graveside service and inurnment will be held in Truscott, Texas.

Ron was born on January 2nd, 1948 in Salina, Kansas to Robert Lewis Holmes and Alta Laverne (Rutherford) Read More

ANTHONY JAMES VERGAMINI Oct. 8, 1966 – May 17, 2015

Anthony Vergamini, age 48, entered into eternal life unexpectedly on May 17, 2015 at his home in Indialantic, FL.

Tony was born on October 8, 1966 in Minneapolis, MN to Phillip Vergamini and Peggy Gautier. He moved to Los Alamos, NM in 1971 where he attended Aspen and Cumbres schools and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1984. Tony worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory while attending the University of Colorado in Boulder where he received a BA in physics in 1989 and a MS degree in electrical engineering in 1991. After graduation, he Read More

JUSTIN N. RICHARD Sept. 9, 1920 – May 30, 2015

Jerry (Justin) Richard passed peacefully on May 30th, 2015 at his home in Silver City, NM.

Jerry was born in Pewee Valley, Kentucky on September 9th (according to the hospital) or September 10th (according to his father) in the year 1920. With a fondness for celebration, he celebrated both days. Jerry travelled abroad for the first time as a medic in World War II. He continued to travel throughout his life, visiting his relatives and friends from New Jersey to San Francisco and even all the way to Prague while he was in his 80s.

After the war, he entered Read More

JOHN F. BRACKBILL May 8, 1973 – June 4, 2015

John F. Brackbill, age 42, died unexpectedly at his home in Colorado Springs. A welfare check requested by his sister found him deceased June 4.

John is survived by his parents Jerry and Isabel Brackbill, his sister Lise and her husband Duane Barber, and their three children, Anneli, Craig and Neil, all of whom live in Portland, Oregon. 

A gathering in John’s memory will be held on Tuesday, June 16 from 4 to 6PM at the home of the Olingers, 1964 Juniper Street, Los Alamos. 

John was born May 8, 1973 in Los Alamos and graduated from Los Alamos Read More

CAROLYN “SUE” NICOL Nov. 22, 1942 – June 4, 2015

Carolyn “Sue” Nicol passed away peacefully June 4, 2015 at her home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico after her long courageous battle with cancer at the age of 72.

Sue was born on November 22, 1942 in Clinton, Indiana, she the youngest of eight brothers and sisters. She worked at Nevada Test Site before moving to Los Alamos, New Mexico where she continued her career with Los Alamos National Laboratory until 1991.

Sue loved camping, boating and fishing with her husband and family and we celebrate her life as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother Read More

ROBERT FONDAY GRIBBLE May 15, 1932 – May 29, 2015

Robert Fonda Gribble passed away May 29, 2015 in Los Alamos at the age of 83. He was born on May 15, 1932 in Austin, Texas to Robert Frances Gribble and Joyce Hudson.

He is survived by his spouse Rita Gribble, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Robert was a Navy veteran and a long time Los Alamos resident. For 28 years, from 1965-1993, he was a valued employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory. An electrical engineer, physicist and group leader at the Lab, he loved his job so much he never considered it work.

After his retirement Read More

JEAN KATHLEEN EDWARDS Jan. 15, 1923 – Feb. 8, 2015

Jean Kathleen Edwards, 92, died February 8, 2015 in her home in Los Alamos, NM with her daughter, son-in-law and Dash by her side.

She was born in Toledo, Ohio, January 15, 1923 to Gerald and Irene (Walcher) Rogers. Jean was diagnosed with cancer in January 2003 and had 10 cancer free years following treatment by Dr. Peter Lindberg at the Los Alamos Medical Center. Jean fought the return of her cancer with treatment at the Santa Fe Radiation Center then later entered hospice care with Del Corazon.

Jean left Ohio with her parents and sister moving to Dearborn, Read More

EDNA DELLA BROWN May 25, 2015

Edna Della Brown, 80, of Los Alamos, passed away on Monday, May 25, 2015.

She grew up in Greeley, Colorado and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Colorado State College of Education in Greeley. After graduating, she worked as a secretary in the chemistry department at Caltech. She met her husband, Ronald Brown, at the campus Newman Center. She raised her children while living in Seattle, Minneapolis, and Los Alamos, where the family moved in 1977.

While living in Los Alamos, she was a volunteer for many years at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Library Read More

VADA EVELYN (BRIDGES) NEMEC:

Vada Evelyn (Bridges) Nemec celebrated her 90th birthday May 23, 2015 at home with her family. She passed peacefully on May 24.

A resident of Los Alamos since 1947, she was preceded in death by her husband “Babe” and parents and siblings of La Mesa, NM. Vada married Sylvester “Babe” Nemec in 1943.

She worked at the U.S. Forest Service and was known as the “Wood and Christmas tree permit lady.” She regularly volunteered at the Chamber of Commerce and LA Hospital Auxiliary.

She poured her love into her family and friends and is survived Read More

TOM KEENAN Oct. 8, 1924 – May 25, 2015

Dr. Thomas Kent Keenan died on Monday, May 25, 2015, at the age of 90 years. Tom was a long-time resident of Los Alamos, having come as a summer student in 1950. 

He was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on October 8, 1924, the only child of Robert & Margaret Keenan. He was educated in both public and Catholic schools and was active in the music program, playing saxophone in the High School Band, clarinet in Orchestra, and both instruments in a dance band. Tom’s Dad, Robert, had to travel most weeks so he was alone with his mother. She always read to him at night and endowed Read More

JAMES “JW” SMITH May 18, 2015

James “JW” Smith, 88, a resident of White Rock, passed away Monday, May 18, 2015 of “too many miles and not enough tread”.

Memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Peace of DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory.

The family of James “JW” Smith has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505.747.7477 – www.devargasfuneral.com. Read More

KEITH CONNETT RUSSELL IV June 12, 1983 – May 12, 2015

June 12, 1983 – May 12, 2015 Keith Connett Russell IV, 31 years old, passed away Tuesday, May 12, 2015.

Keith was born on June 12, 1983, in Birmingham, Alabama. Keith attended Indian Springs School and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a Master’s Degree in Computer Technology.

He worked diligently for the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Department of Energy as a contract employee where he created a groundbreaking program to protect the environment from nuclear waste that is now in demand in other countries. Read More

TODD MARK SANDER Dec. 14, 1964 – April 30, 2015

Todd Mark Sander was born in Seattle, WA on December 14, 1964, to Oscar R. Sander and Janet Blohm Sander. He shared his birthday with his sister, Julie Sander Bucknam, who was born two years later.  

Because his family moved often during Todd’s elementary school years, Todd changed schools every year until his family moved to White Rock in 1977. He then entered Mrs. Spingler’s sixth grade class at Pinon School.

He graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1982 and graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University with both a B.S. degree in Read More

EARL MAZE May 11, 2015

Earl Maze, 95, a resident of Los Alamos, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2015. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bettye Maze.

Mr. Maze is survived by his children, Jay Maze and wife Sally and Cindy Maze all of White Rock; grandsons, Stephen Maze and wife Julie of White Rock and Kevin Maze of Albuquerque and other relatives and friends.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Los Alamos. Private burial to take place.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to your favorite charity. The family of Earl Read More

LEROY HORPEDAHL April 13, 1924 – April 27, 2015

LeRoy Horpedahl passed away in his home on April 27, 2015 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s and other ailments. His last days were spent comfortably in his home surrounded by family and lots of visits from friends.  He was 91 years old.

LeRoy was born at home on the farm, one of six children of immigrant Norwegian parents in the rural farming community of Glyndon, Minnesota, April 13, 1924. He attended a one-room elementary school in the country, then boarded in town so he could attend high school. His enlistment in the Navy enabled him to obtain Read More

FRANK S. ABEYTA Oct. 14, 1920 – April 15, 2015

Frank Abeyta “beat the odds” until April 15, 2015 when he died peacefully at the age of 94 in Albuquerque, NM.

Frank was born in Parkview, NM on October 14, 1920 to Jose Amado Abeyta and Josefita Gomez Abeyta. He was one of eight children that grew up in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

After serving in the US Army during WWII he moved to Los Alamos where he was a driver for Zia Company. He met the love of his life, Ida Trujillo and they married in 1949. Frank and Ida honeymooned in Mexico City, which was uncommon at the time.

Frank then joined the Los Alamos Read More

PAULA WYNN TORRES June 23, 1952 – April 2, 2015

Paula Wynn Torres, age 62, passed away unexpectedly on April 2, 2015. 

Born in Minneapolis Minnesota, on June 23, 1952, Paula is survived by her brother, Griffith Torres, and parents James F. and Mary W. Torres of Berkeley, California.

DENISE M. BEHNKE Oct. 17, 1963 – April 15, 2015

Denise M. Behnke passed away April 15, 2015 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Behnke was born Oct. 17, 1963 and graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1982. She leaves behind her husband, Kevin Smith and daughter Jade, 18.

A celebration of life service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at the Shrine of Remembrance “America the Beautiful” Chapel, 1730 E. Fountain Blvd., in Colorado Springs. Read More

JESSE JR. LYTTEN June 23, 1929 – April 10, 2015

Jesse Jr. Lytten, 85, passed away unexpectedly on Friday April 10th 2015 with his beloved wife Shirley Lytten by his side. He had his daughters, Donna Jean Young and Suzanne Waterbury there as well. Several of his immediate family members were waiting. Jesse was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Jesse met Shirley Anne Benson in Washington, D.C. while he was serving in the United States Navy. They met on a blind date and were married September 15, 1951. They were blessed with three daughters, Donna Jean, Darlene Marie and Read More

LONA PERKINS CAPPIS Nov. 11, 1941 – April 4, 2015

DALLAS – At 6:17 p.m., on Saturday, April 4, 2015, Lona Perkins Cappis, age 73, quietly passed away at Kindred Hospital in Dallas, Texas after long bout with respiratory illness. Her immediate family were there to comfort her. Lona was a long-time resident of Los Alamos with many ties to the people and the town.

Born on November 11, 1941, in Los Angeles, California, to Ivan and Lona Brown Perkins, Lona’s life of adventure took her all around the country and the globe. She lived in a wide variety of places, including Los Angeles, California; Read More

JUDITH C. GURSKY May 3, 1927 – April 8, 2015

Judith Gursky (Judy) passed away on April 8, 2015 in Los Alamos, New Mexico, three weeks short of her 88^th birthday.

She was the matriarch, and with her husband of more than 60 years, Martin, the parent of a large, loving family who adored her; respected and benefitted from her surpassing intellect; and marveled at her wide ranging talents and interests, always accompanied with common sense and humor.

Judy was born in New York City on May 3, 1927 to Henry L. Cassidy and Gladys Carleton Cassidy. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Martin, Read More

CHARLES B. BUNCH April 3, 2015

Charles B. Bunch was born in Los Alamos in 1951 and passed away in Vancouver, Wash., on April 3, 2015.

Charlie graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1969.

He is survived by his sister Cheryl Rael and husband Robert Rael of Las Vegas, Nev., and sister Patti Poe of Rio Rancho, as well as three nephews and two nieces. He also is survived by his friend and caretaker Ruth Keen. Read More

ALYCE M. SUTTON April 1, 2015

Alyce M. Sutton, 81, a resident of Los Alamos, passed away of natural causes on Wednesday, April 1, 2015. 

Alyce was born in Revere, Massachusetts where she met and married her childhood sweetheart, John T. Sutton Sr., in September of 1956. Alyce was a devoted wife to her husband as well as a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother. In 1972 they moved to Los Alamos, NM, where Alyce immediately became involved in the community.

She became a member of the Over the Hill Hikers group and joined the Los Alamos Bridge League. Alyce soon became an accomplished Read More

MARIO VILLA Dec. 28, 2014

Mario Villa, 62, died Dec. 28, 2014. Mario grew up in Los Alamos, but lived in Chimayo at the time of his passing on Dec. 28, 2014.

He was very sociable and met many people in his line of work as a weaver. He will always be remembered for his quick wit, constant smile and infectious laugh, as well as his love for classic cars. His Dodge Charger was certainly his favorite! 

A memorial honoring the life of Mario Villa will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015 at Living Christ Ministries in Espanola. The address is 314-B Riverside, next to the old Valley Bank, now Century Read More

TYLER WEBB March 21, 1986 – March 31, 2015

Tyler Webb, 29, of Los Alamos, NM died March 31, 2015 after battling a long illness. Tyler was born in Los Alamos, NM on March 21, 1986. He attended Los Alamos Schools thru middle school. 

He was accepted, attended and graduated from High School at the North American Wilderness Academy (NAWA) in Redding, CA. Tyler was a member of the NAWA Snowboard Team in High School. 

After High School, Tyler joined and served in the United States Air Force. Tyler’s primary specialty was as an Aircraft Armament Specialist for Black Hawk Helicopter Read More

ALICE FAYE BAIR July 27, 1946 – August 14, 2014

Alice Faye Bair, age 68, passed away on August 14, 2014 in Las Vegas, NV after a long battle with cancer. She was born on July 27, 1946 in Los Alamos, NM where she spent her childhood.

She is survived by a brother, Loy Van Vleet (Ruth), 2 Daughters Karen Rentfrow (George) and Carol Dison (Todd), 5 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and her 2 dachshunds, Precious and Duchess. Alice was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy Waggle, son Madison Waggle, husband George Bair and her parents Richard Van Vleet and Reba and Gilbert Solis.

Alice grew up in Los Alamos Read More

IRVING V JOHNSON 1924 – 2015

Born in Havre, Montana in 1924, Irving V Johnson learned to work leather at a saddle shop as a young man.

In 1943, at age 19, he joined the Navy and was assigned to Combat Aircraft Service Unit (Forward) 9 during World War II. Irving used many skills from the saddle shop as a Parachute Rigger; he was responsible for preparing parachutes and repairing the cloth wings of combat aircraft.

After receiving his honorable discharge in Bremerton, Washington in 1947, Irving worked for the Seattle Steel Company. Yearning for a change of scenery, he joined the Atomic Energy Commission Read More

JEAN KRINARD EVANICH May 11, 1924 – March 16, 2015

Jean Krinard Evanich passed away on March 16, 2015 in Kenosha, Wisc., with her daughter, Sheila, and her son-in-law, John, at her side.

She was born to Albert and Mamie Krinard on May 11, 1924 in Alton, Illinois along the Mississippi, a river she held dearly in her heart.

At the age of 15 she put her name in a magazine for pen-pals around the world. One response was from Johnny, (John M. Evanich) in the CCCs in Oregon, later to become the love of her life. They were married November 14, 1942, he is his Army uniform and she in her favorite purple dress.

For the Read More