Pena, Joe

Joe Pena

Services:Have been held.

Joe Pena, 95, of Fort Sumner, died Saturday, March 26, 2005, at Kaseman-Presbyterian Hospice in Albuquerque.

He was born on June 1, 1909, in Sapello, to Nestor and Guadalupita Montoya Pena.

He married Clara Bustos in 1933 at Las Vegas, N.M. He worked as a civilian inspector at the Fort Sumner Air Base during World War II. He worked as a mechanic with John Wood Ford in Fort Sumner and as shop foreman for Strong Chevrolet in Vaughn. He managed a theater in Fort Sumner for several years, which he later purchased. He built Joe Pena Automotive on West Sumner Avenue in 1955. Family members said he loved mechanic work, was a self-taught airplane pilot and enjoyed traveling and the outdoors.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Clara Pena; two brothers, Raymond and Phillip Pena; five sisters, Margaret Hernandez, Charlotte Pena, Lois Silva, Viola Mares and Petra Pena.

Survivors include a daughter, Irene Kesler of Hilbert, Wis.; four sons, Joe Pena Jr. (and wife, Rose Ann) of Muldrow, Okla., Eddie Pena (Virginia) of Fort Sumner, Henry Pena (Lucy) of Lancaster, Calif., and Fred Pena (Pat) of York, Pa.; three brothers, Benny and Fele Pena, both of Muleshoe, and Tony Pena of Fort Sumner; 16 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 11 great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.

A rosary is scheduled at 7 p.m. today at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Fort Sumner.

Father Sotero A. Sena will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Fort Sumner Cemetery.

Pallbearers are his grandsons, Joe Casey, John, Gary, Michael, Joseph, and Robert Pena.

Visitation is scheduled from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. today at Chavez Funeral Home in Fort Sumner and from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Fort Sumner.

Arrangements are by Chavez Funeral Home of Fort Sumner.