Obituaries For April 26, 2006

Kenneth Hubbard

Services: 2 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Portales

Kenneth Hubbard, 85, of Portales, died Tuesday, April 25, 2006, at Roosevelt General Hospital, Portales.

Born Jan. 20, 1921, in Afton, Okla., to Gladys and Osgood E. Hubbard, he grew up in Oklahoma and Missouri, graduating from high school in Festus, Mo. He came to Portales in 1939 to attend Eastern New Mexico Junior College, and made his home with his aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Walker Hubbard, at the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home. He attended ENMU almost 4 years before enlisting in the Army. He served in North Africa and France during World War II, returning to Portales after the war.

On Sept. 1, 1946, he married Marguerite Hopkins. In about 1950, he established the Modern Shoe Store on the square in Portales, and moved the store in the late 1970s into Turner’s Department Store. He was a longtime member and past president of the Portales Kiwanis Club. He worked with Little League for years. A member of the First Baptist Church, he served as a deacon for more than 50 years. He taught a Men’s Bible class for many years until his death and also served as Sunday School superintendent. Family members said he was civic minded and a regular contributor to Friends of Eastern. ENMU awarded him an honorary degree in 2004.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Charles Hubbard, and his aunt and uncle, Dorothy and Walker Hubbard.

He is survived by his wife; a daughter, Carol Iverson (and husband, Derek) of Kent, Wash.; and five grandchildren, Axel, Joya, Mattie and Kara Iverson, and Mercy Matsuda.

Herbert Bergstrom will officiate services. Burial will be at Portales Cemetery.

Jim Love, Melvin Littlejohn, Richard Lambirth, Grady Jenkins, Rusty Galloway and Jim Davis will be pallbearers. The deacons of the First Baptist Church and members of his Men’s Sunday School Class will be honorary pallbearers.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary, Portales.

Oscar Acosta

Services: Will be held at a later date.

Oscar Acosta, 49, of Safety Harbor, Fla., formerly of Portales, died Wednesday, April 19, 2006, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in a car accident.

He was born March 21, 1957, in Portales to Juan and Connie Acosta.

He was raised in Elida and graduated from Elida High School in 1975. His baseball career started in 1976 at Dallas Baptist College on a scholarship.

He was the manager of the Gulf Coast Yankees of the Rookie League for three years. He led the team to league championship the last two seasons. He led the Dominican Summer League to a championship in 2005. He was the pitching coach for Triple A Columbus 1996 to 1998 and worked in a similar capacity at the Major League level with the Chicago Cubs from 2000 to 2001 and the Texas Rangers in 2002. He moved to Safety Harbor two years and five months ago from his native Portales.

He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Kathy; two daughters, Melissa Acosta-Lee of Roswell and Amanda Acosta-Harris of Clovis; a Ryan Acosta, of Safety Harbor, Fla.; his mother, Connie Acosta of Portales; a brother, Juan Acosta (and wife, Ernestina) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; two sisters, Carol Acosta-Flores of Portales and Yolanda Acosta of Albuquerque; and several nieces and nephews.

Rosary will be said 7 p.m. today at St. Helen Catholic Church. The mass of resurrection will be postponed for a later date due to circumstances.

Private memorial services will be conducted in Clearwater, Fla. and Portales.

Arrangements are by Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Clearwater, Fla.