May 11 Obituaries

Dan Swopes, 59

Services: 2 p.m. Friday at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel in Portales.

Dan Swopes, 59, of Portales, died Monday, May 9, 2005, at Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales.

He was born Aug. 26, 1945, in Portales, to Essie and Walter R. Swopes

He graduated from Portales High School in 1963, and was active in FFA while in school. He was employed for several years in local grocery stores. He married Shirley Elliott, Aug. 11, 1964, in Lewiston, Idaho. Soon after their marriage he went to work as a telegraph operator for Santa Fe Railroad. Later he was employed at Cooper Hobbs Chevrolet where he detailed cars. For the past 27 years he worked for the City of Portales Water Department where he was the superintendent at the time of his death. He was a member of the Baptist church.

Family members said he loved to collect various things, especially coins and old cars. They said he also enjoyed rock hunting and treasure hunting.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Durwood Swopes and Roy Webb; and a sister, Juanita Black.

Survivors include his wife; two daughters, Danielle and Nicole Swopes, both of Portales; close family friend, Darynda Jones of Portales and her children, Jerrdan and Casey; three brothers, Britt Webb of Emmett, Idaho, Truitt Swopes of Austin, Texas, and Waymon Swopes of Midland, Texas; two sisters, Lorene Anderson of Alvin, Texas, and Lavon Elrod of Portales.

The Rev. Waymon Swopes and Rev. J.R. (Dick) Ross will officiate the services.

Pallbearers are Manuel Mendoza, Skip Wilson, Lee Hill, Michael Cantrell II, Mike Stroik, Michael Lucero, Anna Parks, Luis Cruz, Dino Pacheco, Bobby England, Sammy Villanueva and Jerry Ferguson.

Honorary pallbearers are Portales City employees.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.