Obituaries

Jose Lorenzo Castillo

1961-2019

Jose Lorenzo Castillo, age 57, a resident of Belen, passed away on, Friday, May 10, 2019.

He was a member of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church. Jose was a loving father, brother and uncle, He lived his life to the fullest. Jose will be missed by his loved ones. He loved fishing and spending time with his family at cookouts.

Jose is preceded in death by his son, Raymond Silva-Castillo; mother, Eloisa Castillo; father, Refugio Castillo; niece, Terry; brothers, Michael Castillo and Ernest Castillo.

He is survived by daughter, Cheyenne Silva-Castillo; son, Michael Silva-Castillo; brother, Felemon Jose Castillo; sisters, Rosemary Castillo, Annie Ozuna, Margaret Mares, Diana Castillo and Theresa Castillo; grandsons, Lawrence Silva, Luciano Silva, Andres Silva, Diego Silva and Castiel DelaCruz; granddaughters, Raena Silva and Serenity Gutierrez.

All services will be held at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church. A viewing will be held at 6 p.m., with a Rosary to be recited at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for Jose and his son, Raymond Silva-Castillo, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29. Interment will follow for Jose and Raymond at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, 418 W. Reinken Ave., 864-4448, where an online guest register is available at noblin.com.

Anna “Nancy” L. Chowning

1921-2019

Anna “Nancy” L. Chowning, 97, of Peabody Retirement Community in North Manchester, Ind., died at 10:35 am, Saturday, May 18, 2019, at Peabody Healthcare Center in North Manchester.

She was born Sept. 5, 1921, in Upland, Penn., to John G. Rhoads and Lucy B. (Warren) Rasmussen.

Nancy married Ray E. Chowning Jr.; he died March 7, 2012. She was a homemaker and a member of the United Methodist Church. Nancy was a Wave during World War II, and was the first female enlistee from Albuquerque after Pearl Harbor.

She had lived at Peabody since March of 2012, after moving from Belen, where she lived for 25 years.

She is survived by two sons, Ray E. (Julia) Chowning III, of Wabash, Ind., and James “Steve” S. (Heidi) Chowning, of Rio Rancho; two grandchildren, Debra (Blake) Ludban, of Houston, Texas, and Ray E. (Carol) Chowning IV, of Orlando, Fla.; three great-grandchildren, Michael Chowning, of Tulsa, Okla., Alex Ludban and Elyse Ludban, both of Houston.

She was also preceded in death by her parents.

There will be no services. Inurnment will be in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, N.M.

Arrangements by Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, Wabash.

Preferred memorial is Peabody Caring Circle, 400 W. 7th St., North Manchester, Ind., 46962.

The memorial guest book for Nancy may be signed at grandstaff-hentgen.com.

Stanley Edmund (Wroblewski)

Died 2019

Stanley Edmund (Wroblewski), age 93, a resident of Los Chavez, passed away on April 18, 2019.

Stan was a lifetime member of the third- and fourth-degree in the Knights of Columbus. He also served in World War II in the United States Navy as a USN petty officer third class from June 1943 to Dec. 1945. During that time, he worked as a sonar man on the Navy’s Eagle Patrol Craft. He was an active member of the Eagle Patrol Craft Sailors Association for the past 20 years.

As hobbies, he enjoyed flying, golfing, hiking, camping and traveling.

Stan was preceded in death by his brother, Eddie (Ski); two sons, Edward Joseph and Stanley Allen; and first wife, Helen.

He is survived by his daughters, Patricia, Theresa and Christine; and sons, Gary, Mark and Scott. Stan is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his beloved partner of 23 years, Ann.

A Rosary and funeral service will be held at Noblin Funeral Service in Belen from 10-11 a.m., Saturday, June 1.

Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, 418 W. Reinken Ave., 864-4448.

Donald Esquibel

1954-2019

Donald Esquibel, age 65, a resident of Belen, passed away on May 15, 2019.

He was a member of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church. Donald loved playing acoustic guitar and spending time with his daughter and grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Emma Esquibel; his father, Ezekiel Esquibel Sr.; brothers, Ezekiel Esquibel Jr. and Jonny E. Esquibel; and nephew, Joe Jude Esquibel.

Donald is survived by daughter, Monica Esquibel; son-in-law, Matthew Marquez; granddaughter, Emma Nicole Marquez; grandsons, Matthew, Ronnie and Andres Marquez; stepmother, Maria Esquibel; stepsister, Martha Velasquez and husband, Daniel; brothers, Frank Esquibel and wife, Rita, Joe Esquibel and wife, Peggy, Edwin Esquibel and wife, Kathy, Tommy Esquibel, and John Esquibel and wife, Ruby; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

Services will take place on Tuesday, May 28, at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, beginning with a public visitation at 8:30 a.m., a Rosary to be recited at 9:30 a.m. and a Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Interment will take place following at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens.

Please sign Donald’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

Kierstin Garcia (Townsend)

1981-2019

Kierstin Renae Garcia (Townsend), 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo., (formerly of Los Lunas, and Pueblo, Colo.) passed away on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, after a two-year battle with breast cancer.

Kierstin was born in Albuquerque on May 31, 1981. After attending Los Lunas Schools until her ninth-grade year, she moved to Pueblo, Colo., and attended County High School until graduating in 1999. She then moved back to Los Lunas and married Phillip Garcia.

After starting their family, they moved to Colorado Springs, and Kierstin started working at UC Health.

Kierstin is survived by her husband, Phillip Garcia; son, Damian; daughter, Brianna; parents, John and Marilyn Townsend; brothers, Kyle Townsend and Ryan Townsend; sister, Danette Townsend; grandmother, Nelda Ellerd; mother-in-law, Lucy Garcia; as well as numerous cousins, aunts and uncles.

A service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, May 25, at the Hilton Garden Inn, Colorado Springs, and at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 1, at Copper Pointe Church, 10500 Copper Ave., NE, in Albuquerque.

Judith Haugness

1955-2019

Judith Haugness, age 63, a resident of Veguita, passed away on May 10, 2019.

She was born in Harrisburg, Penn., where she met her husband, Les, and they were married for 28 years. They traveled throughout the United States and eventually settled in Veguita, where they lived for the last 20 years.

Judith was very craft minded and artistic. She loved to crochet afghans and do beading on hats, necklaces and jewelry. Judith also did scroll saw painting, as well as diamond bead painting.

She loved animals, and at one time she and Les rescued up to seven dogs, which completed their family at home.

Judith is preceded in death by her parents, George and Jane Books; as well as four brothers and one sister.

She is survived by her loving husband, Les Haugness; her sister, Georgie Shut; and brother, Bobby Books; her son, Terry Welsh; her daughter-in-law, Leslie Ann Sherry; and four loving grandchildren, Anthony, Dominick, Layton and Abigail.

Services took place on Monday, May 20, at Romero Funeral Home Chapel.

Please sign Judith’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

Eduardo Otero

1934-2019

Eduardo Otero, of Peralta, 85, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, May 17, 2019.

He was a life-long member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Peralta, where he served as an usher for many years. Eduardo was a proud Army veteran, who served at the end of the Korean War. Eduardo (Warre) worked for the Veteran’s Administration Hospital for 32 years, starting as a nursing assistant and moving up to supervisor of the renal dialysis unit.

He was a dedicated husband and father, hard-working, generous, honest, reliable, had strong conservative values and a great sense of humor. Eduardo wanted nothing more than for his children to get a good education, instilling in them the value of integrity, discipline and hard work.

He enjoyed ranching, singing and playing guitar, watching football, John Wayne and Cantiflas movies, and vacationing with his family.

Eduardo is preceded in death by his mother and father, Maria (Armijo) and Jose Otero, of Peralta.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Priscilla Otero (Ulibarri); children, Charlotte Otero-Goodwin, B.S.E.E.; son-in-law, Rick Goodwin, B.S.E.E.; Erica Otero-Sanchez, D.A.; son-in-law, Daniel Sanchez; step-granddaughter, Fernanda; son, Edward Otero, B.S.E.E.; granddaughter, Olivia; son, Stephen Otero, M.D.; daughter-in-law, Michelle Otero (Shay); grandchildren, Isaiah, Xavier and Sierra; daughter, Elizabeth Otero de Espinoza, B.A.; son-in-law, Bill Espinoza, B.S.; grandchildren, Elijah and Isaac; brother, Jose U. Otero; sisters, Juanita Sanchez and Peggy Otero; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 22.

Pallbearers were sons, Edward Otero and Stephen Otero; grandsons, Isaiah Otero and Xavier Otero; sons-in-law, Bill Espinoza and Daniel Sanchez. Honorary pallbearers were son-in-law. Rick Goodwin; and grandsons, Elijah and Isaac Espinoza.

The Otero family would like to thank the VA and Alliance, and Always Best Care care-giving teams for their wonderful treatment of our precious Hono and Daddy. We love you and miss you, Daddy. We know you’re singing with the angels for Jesus and are in the loving arms of your mom, at last. Thanks be to God.

Please sign Eduardo’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

Eileen Tafoya-Reed

1953-2019

Eileen Tafoya-Reed, age 65, a resident of Los Lunas, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday May 15, 2019.

She was a graduate of Los Lunas High School (1970) and employed at the Los Lunas Training School before relocating to Bastrop, Texas, where she worked for the Cottonwood Treatment Center and the U.S. Postal Service, where she retired in 2014.

Eileen loved living in the state of Texas, blue bonnet flowers, gardening and collecting rocks.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmy Reed; father, John Tafoya; grandparents, Estanaslado and Jenny Garley and Pedro and Evangelista Tafoya.

Eileen is survived by her mother, Lorina Tafoya; brothers, Raymond, John, Michael (Debbie), Leroy and Stanley; children, Jennifer Gonzales (Jimmy), Robert Gonzales (Lorie), Yvette Gonzales and Gerald Reed; stepchildren, Randy Reed (Renee) and James Reed (Gayla), many grandchildren and great-grandchildren and friends since childhood; and sister in life, Brenda Gomez.

The family would like to thank Eileen’s Amber Care nurses, caregivers and Dr. Aragon, who provided excellent care over the past two years.

Please sign Eileen’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

CJ “Cornie” Visser

1935-2019

CJ “Cornie” Visser has passed into the arms of his heavenly Father.

He is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and four sisters.

CJ was a Korean War veteran.

A celebration of life will be held at Romero Funeral Home Chapel from 10:30-11:30 a.m., Friday, May 24, and interment will take place at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 25, at Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Please sign CJ’s online tribute at romerofuneralhomenm.com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen.

Mary Arlene Wingerd (Hess)

Died 2019

Mary Arlene Wingerd (Hess), 94, of Mechanicsburg, passed away on May 19, 2019, at Messiah Village.

She was born in Lancaster, Colo., daughter of the late Henry M. and Lottie (Hersh) Hess. On Jan. 30, 1965, she was united in marriage with Titus “Tim” M. Wingerd. He preceded her in death on Aug.12, 2008.

Mary was Brethren in Christ in faith. She was an elementary school teacher and reading specialist. Through her reading specialist career, she helped many children succeed in reading. She enjoyed reading, knitting, playing games and traveling.

Mary was an active member of the Mobile Missionaries Assistance Program for 14 years. During this time, she and others did numerous projects renovating Christian facilities, such as youth camps, churches and parsonages. They traveled all over the country as volunteers in their own RV as did the others they worked with.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Titus; stepson, Nathan Lynn Wingerd; brother, Paul Hess and wife, Esther; sister, Elizabeth Asper and husband, Norman; and sister, Lois Weaver and husband Gerald.

Surviving are son, Nelson Wingerd (Janel), of Albuquerque; daughter, Melinda Ridley (Dave), of Belen; sisters, Rhoda Heisey and Anna Ruth Hostetter; as well as four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Friends were received on Wednesday, May 22, at a celebration of life service, with Pastor Debbie Bentch officiating, at the Messiah Village Chapel.

Arrangements by Weaver Funeral Home, LLC (weaversfh.com); Woodbury.