Obits July 13

Juanita Gutierrez

Mrs. Juanita P. Gutierrez, 95, Saturday, July 12, 2003, at Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales.

She was born June 28, 1908, in Tigere, to Virginia and Francisquito Casaus.

She spent her early life in Puerta de Luna and Fort Sumner. On Aug. 29, 1936, she married Matias Gutierrez in Santa Rosa. They made their home in Puerta de Luna until 1945, when they moved to Fort Sumner. In 1955, the family moved to Portales. She worked as a housekeeper and did ironing, but once her children were born, she was a full-time mom. Family members said she was a generous and giving lady. For the past 10 years she had been a resident of the local rest home. She was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Justo and Santiago Casaus; three sisters, Anita Gonzales, Josephita Gonzales and Virginia Salazar; a son-in-law, Joe F. Pena; a grandson; and by her husband.

Survivors include four sons, Magin (and wife, Marie) Gutierrez of Portales, Morris (and wife, Arcelia) Gutierrez of Clovis, Adam (and wife, Dolores) Gutierrez of Portales and Juan (and wife, Priscilla) Casaus of Albuquerque; three daughters, Helen Pena of Albuquerque, Irene Montano of Portales and Dora (and husband, Joe) Sanchez of Portales; 24 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and one sister, Ignacita Gonzales of Albuquerque

The rosary will be recited 7 p.m. Monday at St. Helen Catholic Church.

Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Tuesday at St. Helen Catholic Church in Portales. Father Tobin Hitt will be the celebrant.

Burial will be in Portales Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Leroy Gutierrez, Michael Gutierrez, Larry Gutierrez, Rudy Pena, Henry Montano, Bernice Vargas, Angela Arguello and Herman Gutierrez.

Wheeler Mortuary of Portales is handling arrangements.

Mary Mirabal

Mary M. Mirabal, 77, of Amarillo, died Thursday, July 10, 2003.

She was born in Santa Rosa.

She lived in Tucumcari from 1946 to 1974; El Paso, Texas, from 1974 to 1980; in Portales from 1980 to 1997; and then in Amarillo. She was a homemaker. She married Enrique Mirabal on Feb. 5, 1946, in Santa Rosa.

She was preceded in death by her husband and two sons.

Survivors include her children, Louisa Dolly of Amarillo, Henry and Sylvia Mirabal of Lubbock, Eddie and Merlinda Mirabal of Albuquerque, Carol Mirabal and Raymond Pacheco of Amarillo, Mary Ellen Mirabal of Amarillo, Anton and Yolanda Apodaca of Amarillo, Richard and Ann Mirabal of Albuquerque, Jimmy Mirabal of Amarillo, Jerry and Jody Mirabal of Amarillo and Johnny and Sylvia Velasquez of Portales; a brother, Rudy Montano of Amarillo; 29 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. (CDT) today at Boxwell Brothers Ivy Chapel in Amarillo.

Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. (CDT) Monday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Amarillo. Monsignor Harold Waldo will be the celebrant.

Burial will be in Llano Cemetery.

Boxwell Brothers funeral home of Amarillo is handling arrangements.

Lynn Richards

Lynn J. Richards, 86, of Carlsbad, died Thursday, July 10, 2003, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

He was born July 26, 1916, in Weatherford, Texas.

He grew up on a farm near Dora and graduated from Dora High School. He attended college in Portales for one year. In May 1936 he married Flora Hightower in Pep. He owned a dairy farm for 20 years. He moved to Carlsbad in 1954 and went to work for IMC. He retired in 1981 after 27 years. He was an avid golfer and an active member of Sunset Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Dwight (and wife, Marie) Richards of San Antonio, Texas; three brothers, Lee (and wife, Loree) Richards Jr. of Carlsbad, Paul (and wife, Berniece) Richards of Hobbs and Mack (and wife, Wanda) Richards of Dora; two sisters, Pansy Evans and Rosemary (and husband, James) Shackleford, all of Dora; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 1 to 7 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to noon Monday at Denton-Funchess Funeral Home in Carlsbad.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Sunset Church of Christ in Carlsbad. Ray Young will officiate.

Burial will be Carlsbad Cemetery in Carlsbad.

Pallbearers will be Ron Clem, Gerald Gaines, John Foster, Don Roberts, Connie Coalson and Mack Powers.

Memorial contributions may be made to Christian Children’s home of Portales.

Denton-Funchess Funeral Home of Carlsbad is handling arrangements.

Obituary Policy

The Portales News-Tribune does not charge to publish obituaries. Space constraints and deadlines may limit what is published. Information for obituaries must come from funeral homes.