A8 Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Roetta Hudson
Services are scheduled at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the First Baptist Church of Artesia for Roetta Hudson of Artesia, New Mexico. Mrs. Hudson, 78, died Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, at home. Rev. Rick Sullivan will officiate at the services with burial at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Batesville, Arkansas. Pallbearers will be David Conklin, Larry Lynch, Ron Horner, Aaron Horner, John Yates, Jr., and Bruce Waldrip. Honorary pallbearers will be Wayne Kemp, Gilbert Gomez, Lloyd Polk, Harry Newlon, Greg Marrs, Stanley Waldrip, Steve Clark, John Loudat, Mike Casabone., her Adult 7 Sunday School class, and the members of her Ladies Sunday School class. Visitation will be at Terpening & Son Mortuary Tuesday beginning at 10 a.m. Roetta was born Jan. 27, 1936, in Batesville, Arkansas; the daughter of Roe Reves and Della (Weaver) Reves. She came to Artesia in 1957 from West Memphis, Arkansas. On Jan. 5, 1954, she was married to Paul Hudson in Batesville, Arkansas. They moved to Artesia in 1957 from West Memphis, Arkansas. Roetta was a loving wife and mother who was always devoted to her family’s needs. She was a very giving and Christian mother and her family always came first. She began her career in banking in 1966 after being a graduate of New Mexico School of Banking. In 1981, she started working at the First National Bank where she held many positions and ended up as the Vice President of Operations. Prior to retirement in 1996, she served as Sr. Vice President, Human Resources, and Secretary to the Board of Directors. She was elected to the First National Board of Directors in 1997 and was currently serving as an Advisory Director. In 2006, she was elected to First Artesia Bancshares Inc. Board of Directors. Roetta served two five-year terms as the New Mexico
Trustee for the Golden Gate Theological Baptist Seminary in San Francisco, Calif., was a past member of the American Business Women’s Association and named “Business Woman of the Year.” She was a member of the Artesia Rotary Club and the recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow. Roetta was a very active member of First Baptist Church and the teacher of the Ladies Sunday School Class. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Ruby Garlin; and brother Ansel Reves. Survivors include her husband Paul Hudson of the family home; daughter Susan Hudson of Denver, Colorado; son Chris Hudson of Roswell, N.M.; brother James Reves and wife Danna of Batesville, Arkansas; sister -in-law Barbara Reves of Batesville; nephew Jeff Reves and a host of nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their gratitude for the loving care of Dr. Moreno, Dr. Braik, Dr. Moon at MD Anderson, and Carol Kaydahzinne for the care they showed to her. Memorial contributions may be made to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home.
Juanita Gowman
A Celebration of Life memorial service for Juanita Gowman, 89, of Roswell, will be at 2 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at Church on the Move. Juanita passed away Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, peacefully into the arms of her Lord. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Juanita was born Aug. 28, 1925, in Mayfield, Kentucky, to Linn K. Bridges and Vera P. Taylor. She belonged to Chaparral Rock Hounds, RAAF-WAFB Veterans Association and retired from Hinkle Law Firm after 40 years of loyal service as a legal secretary. Juanita is survived by her sons, Richard Gowman of Roswell, NM, and Ron Gowman and wife, Paula, of Plainview, TX; grandchildren, Sara Marquez and husband, Homer; Michael Gowman and wife, Darby; Ericka Jeffries and hus-
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band, Al; and Ian Busby; great-grandchildren, Alexandrea, Clarissa and Naomi Eckard; Sebastian and Thomas Marquez. Juanita was preceded in death by her parents, Linn K. and Vera Bridges; her husband, Donald Gowman; daughter, Sharon Gowman; and a brother, Joe L. Bridges. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online registry book at andersonbethany.com. Services are under the direction of AndersonBethany Funeral Home and Crematory.
Concepcion Anchondo
A rosary for Concepcion Anchondo, 91, of Roswell, NM, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, at Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be at 9 a.m., Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Fr. Eduardo Espinoza, OFM officiating. Burial will follow at South Park Cemetery. The family will be accepting visitation on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2014, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Concepcion passed away Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Concepcion was bor n March 26, 1923, in Chihuahua, Mexico, to Francisco Venegas and Rebecca Villazana. Concepcion enjoyed cooking and traveling, she was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Concepcion is survived by five children; daughter, Rosa Saenz and her husband Javier of Albuquerque; son, Jose Anchondo and wife Dorinda of Roswell; son, Ramon Anchondo and Silvia Cardona of Roswell; son, Jimmy Anchondo of Roswell; daughter, Rebeca Borunda of Roswell; brother, Julian V. of El Paso, TX; 23 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews. Concepcion was preceded in death by her husband, Francisco Anchondo; two infant children, Salvador and Jaime; and a son, Manuel F. Anchondo; daughter Guadalupe Anchondo; and son Raul
J. CALIFORNIA COOPER, PROLIFIC WRITER, DEAD AT 82
SEATTLE (AP) — Prolific writer J. California Cooper, who was writing plays until Alice Walker suggested she switch to short stories and novels, because they were an easier path to a paycheck, has died at age 82. Cooper died early Saturday after experiencing several heart attacks over the past few years, her daughter Paris Williams said Tuesday. She lived most of her life in northern California and wrote more than a dozen plays and had about a dozen books published after switching to prose fiction. She met Walker after the Pulitzer Prize winner came to see one of her plays. “Her advice to my mother was you should write short stories or novels because it was easier to get paid. She went home and wrote 12 stories,” Williams said. When Cooper asked Walker to write an introduction to her first story collection, the writer who had just been honored for “The Color Purple” asked to publish the book at her own publishing house. Walker also helped Cooper get one of her stories published in Essence magazine
and the book took off from there, Williams said. Williams called Cooper a hard worker who worked a variety of jobs from a teamster on the Alaska pipeline to an escrow officer and a manicurist to pay the bills. She went to the pipeline to work as a secretary and switched to bus and truck driving after she realized she could make a lot more money, her daughter recalls. She drove welders up to their work site and then panned for gold while waiting for the return trip, Williams said. “My mother tried a lot of things when I was growing up,” she said. “Writing was something she always did. She just stuck them in a drawer.” She was known for a folksy, conversational style and for stories of women scarred by violence or betrayal. Her work was praised for its power and at times criticized for being didactic. Her collections included “A Piece of Mine” and “Homemade Love.” Reviewing her novel “Family” in The New York Times in 1990, Roy Hoffman called it “the sort of book that ought to be read
out loud.”
“Never mind that the narrator, Clora, is a ghost,” Hof fman wrote. “In its strong rhythms and colloquial expressions, this book is a living woman’s monologue. At times, Clora even seems to lean toward us, grabbing at our lapels.” Williams said her mother never took her fame seriously.
“She used to say ‘People have forgotten all about me,’” Williams said. “But all her books are still in print. It’s pretty amazing.” Her mother did not want a funeral and requested instead that she be remembered with personal acts of kindness or charity.
Anchondo. Honorary pallbearers will be: Christina Anchondo, Andrew Anchondo, Pedro Saenz, and all other grand and great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be: Javier Saenz, Jr., Alfredo Saenz, Ramon Anchondo Jr., Michael Anchondo, Leonardo Anchondo, Fabian Vale, Juan Borunda, Jr., Gilberto Borunda. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online registry book at andersonbethany.com. Services are under the direction of AndersonBethany Funeral Home and Crematory.
Norma Lou Pharis
Memorial service for Norma Lou Pharis, 76, of Roswell, will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014, at Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home Chapel, burial to follow at South Park Cemetery. The family will be accepting visitation Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nor ma Lou was bor n Feb. 22, 1938, in Childress, TX to Max and Betty Hubbard. She was the 10th in a family of 16 children. She married Jimmie L. Pharis on Aug. 28, 1963, and they were blessed with three children, a daughter and son-in-law which she said were the best kids in the world. Norma Lou was a homemaker and great mom. She began work for RISD in 1976 as a cafeteria manager at East Grand Plains and Sunset Elementary Schools. She was a great cook and all the maintenance workers would stop to get a homemade roll on bread day. Nor ma Lou retired in 1997, but was continually active with her church and the ladies ministry and caring for her family. She was not only mom to her three children, but her son and daughter -in-law, friends, nieces and nephews also thought of her as mom as well. She was the most kindhearted and loving person. She always had a kind word for everyone and was always full of joy and laughter. She loved praying
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Roswell Daily Record and going to church. Even in her worst hours of pain she said she was fine or “doing alright.” She was a strong and deter mined woman. Norma Lou will be greatly missed, but will rejoice with the angels in heaven and rest from the pain of the world. Norma Lou is survived by her husband, Jimmie Pharis of Midway; her son, Edward and wife Rhonda Pharis of Midway; daughters, Nancy Pharis, Donna Brasher and husband Ray; all of Lubbock, TX; her sister, Karlin Parkhill and husband, Jimmy of Roswell; Wilma Dean Crosby and husband Ross of Shawnee, OK; Arlene King of Tyler, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents, Max and Betty Hubbard; six brothers, Gene Hubbard, Dee “Boots” Hubbard, Havard Hubbard, J.H. Hubbard, Roland Hubbard and Nolan Hubbard; six sisters, Louise Hyatt, Flor Daniel, Joyce Cunningham, Aileen Brown, Christine Hubbard and Shirley Calkins. Pallbearers will be Gene Hubbard, Rodger Daniel, Bryan Calkins, Jeremy Calkins, Ryan Calkins, and Bubba Daniel. Please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online registry book at andersonbethany.com. Services are under the direction of AndersonBethany Funeral Home and Crematory.
Fred Lopez
A rosary will be recited for Fred Lopez, of Roswell, at 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, at St. John’s Catholic Church with a Mass to follow with Fr. Eduardo Espinosa OFM officiating. Fred Lopez was born on Sept. 10, 1942, to Pedro Lopez and Ermina “Minnie” Lopez in Roswell. He was a lifelong resident of Roswell and a member of St. John’s Catholic Church. He married his lifelong partner Della Lopez on Aug. 15, 1962, in Roswell. He enjoyed riding his motorcycle around town and also spending time with his two great-grandkids that he
lived with. He loved just to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. Most importantly, he loved to argue with his granddaughter Priscilla Ramirez on what he could eat, since he was a diabetic. He will be greatly missed. Fred is survived by his daughter, Rose Marie Acosta, of Roswell; his grandchildren, Ismael Andazola, of Roswell and Priscilla Ramirez of Roswell; his great-grandchildren, Esperanza Ramirez, George Francisco Ramirez Jr, Destiny Rose Jazmine Ramirez, Christopher Servantez, all of Roswell, and Elias Andazola, of Albuquerque. He is also survived by his two brothers who are honorary pallbearers; his sister, Virginia Buchanan of Roswell and his sister, Alice Barela of Ruidoso; also, a very close sister-in-law, Trudy Lopez of Ruidoso. He was preceded in death by his wife Della Lopez, whom he deeply missed; his parents, his brother Pete Lopez, of Ruidoso; his sister Lorena Luna, of Roswell; and son-in-law Francisco Acosta, of Roswell. Honorary pallbearers will be brother, Leo Lopez of Roswell; Brother Manuel Lopez of Roswell and wife Dolly Lopez; grandson, Ismael Andazola and greatgrandson, George Ramirez Jr. How can I live without you? How can I carry on? When you’re the reason I had to live for, and now you’re gone. You held me up when I was weak; there wasn’t a day we didn’t speak. You picked me up when I was down, Don’t know where I would be if you weren’t around. You taught me so much, Wish I could still feel your touch. There’s not a minute that goes by that I don’t think of you and cry. I know you’re dancing up above just know you’ll always have my love. I love you, grandpa, then, now, and always. We couldn’t ask for a better Angel. Priscilla Please take a moment to share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online registry book at andersonbethany.com. Services are under the direction of AndersonBethany Funeral Home and Crematory.
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