Dec. 7 Obituaries

Virgil Wheeler, 79

Mr. Virgil Wheeler, 79, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004, near Portales.

He was born on Aug. 31, 1925, in Oklahoma to Dora and Johnny Wheeler. He “fudged” on his age in order to be able to enlist in the Navy in December of 1942 and served aboard the U.S.S. Elliott. Following the war, he started his career with the Santa Fe Railroad and retired as a Division Lineman in 1986 after 36 years, during which time he was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Since his retirement, he had continued to farm and ranch and raise Arabian horses. He married Patricia Simpson in Breckenridge, Mo., on Oct. 14, 1952.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Jerden and Ben Wheeler; three sisters, Bonnie Hackney, Luwanna Wheeler and Patsy Wheeler; a daughter, Elizabeth Kay Wheeler; and a grandson, Zebulon Wheeler.

Survivors include his wife; three sons, Kevin Wheeler (and wife, Sheryll) of Thief River Falls, Minn., Keith Wheeler (Cheryl) of Gallup, and Kyle Wheeler (Betsy) of Sapello; four daughters, Karen Cantrell (Chris) of Fort Worth, Texas, Kris Vigil (Kenny) of Clovis, Kelen Kimbrel (Dale) of Albuquerque, and Frances Ruth Carlson of California; 18 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; three brothers, Harold Wheeler (Jenny) and Leroy Wheeler (Vondell), both of Norman, Okla., and Thomas Wheeler (Ann) of Florida; and a niece, Shirley Whatley.

Services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel in Portales. The Rev. J. R. Dick Ross will officiate the services.

Burial will be at the Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Dale Kimbrel, Kenny Vigil, Kevin Wheeler, Keith Wheeler, Kyle Wheeler and Chris Cantrell.

Honorary pallbearers are Kody Vigil, Justin Wheeler, Matthew Jaramillo and Andrew Espinosa.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Pete Gallegos, 77

Mr. Pete Gallegos, 77, of Clovis, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004, at Laurel Plains Nursing Home in Clovis.

He was born on Aug. 1, 1927, in Sacatosa, to Glaudina and Pedro Gallegos. He married Aurelia Pena in Las Vegas, N.M., on Aug. 1, 1952. He made his home in Las Vegas until moving to Portales in 1960. For many years he worked on local farms until 1978. Family members said he enjoyed working in his yard and watching wrestling matches on television. For the past two years he has been a resident of a rest home in Clovis.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Ramon, Max, Marcelino and Epifanio Gallegos; two sisters, Vianita Chavez, and Genevieve Gallegos; an infant daughter; and his wife.

Survivors include three sons, Pat, Dennis and Ernesto Gallegos, all of Portales; two daughters, Loretta Aguilar (and husband, Reggie) of Portales, and Ernistine Carrasquillo (Jerry) of Boston; seven grandchildren, Jimmy Salazar (Deandra), Salvador Gonzales (Nicole), Eric Gallegos (Bernadette), B. Ryan, Junior and Adam Aguilar, and Tabitha and Jacob Carrasquillo; six great-grandchildren, Jonathyn, Ethyn and Rheagyn Gonzales, Izaiah Salazar, and Meika and Angelina Gallegos.

Services are scheduled for 3 p.m. today at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel in Portales. Father Tobin Hitt will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Vincent Gallegos, Eric Gallegos, Bryan Aguilar, Salvador Gonzales, Jimmy Salazar and Larry Vigil.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.

Billy Tivis, 62

Mr. Billy Ray Tivis, 62, of Portales, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004, in Roswell.

He was born on Dec. 24, 1941, to Susie and Fate Tivis in Portales. He lived in Bethel for several years as a child and attended school in Floyd. Later he moved to Portales. He served in the National Guard and farmed and raised cattle for several years before becoming a contractor. He has been a truck driver. Family members said he enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, 4-wheeling and going to the mountains of Colorado. He raised quarter horses for several years and was a member of the American Quarter Horse Association. Family members said he always enjoyed visiting with friends and telling stories.

He was preceded in death by his father.

Survivors include his mother; three brothers, J. R. Tivis (and wife, Nancy), Jerry Tivis (Cherry), and Donny Tivis (Shirley), all of Portales; four sisters, Virginia Stewart of Plano, Texas, Mary Helen Corbin (Webb) of Lubbock, Lavon Chase (Johnny) of Clovis, and Laveda Miller (Boyd) of Hurst, Texas.

Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel in Portales. The Rev. Jim Maxwell will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Steve Adkins, D. K. Shafer, Keith Carmichael, T. Miller, Duane Chase and Johnny Chase.

Honorary pallbearers are Jeff Bilberry, Odis Newman, Billy Dixon, Wayne Tivis, Boyd Miller and Webb Corbin.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.