A6 Friday, December 6, 2013
OBITUARIES
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s peacemaker, dies
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Nelson Mandela was a master of forgiveness. South Africa’s first black president spent nearly a third of his life as a prisoner of apartheid, yet he sought to win over its defeated guardians in a relatively peaceful transition of power that inspired the world. As head of state, the former boxer, lawyer and inmate lunched with the prosecutor who argued successfully for his incarceration. He sang the apartheid-era Afrikaans anthem at his inauguration and traveled hundreds of miles to have tea with the widow of the prime minister in power at the time he was sent to prison. It was this generosity of spirit that made Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95, a global symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation in a world often jarred by conflict and division. Mandela’s stature as a fighter against apartheid — the system of white racist rule he called evil — and a seeker of peace with his enemies was on a par with that of other men he admired: American civil rights activist Martin
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Above: Former South African President Nelson Mandela, at 87, is in a jovial mood, Dec. 7, 2005, at the Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, where he met with the winner and runner-up of the local "Idols" competition. South Africa's president said, Thursday, that Mandela has died. He was 95. Right: People sit behind burning candles for former president Nelson Mandela on hearing of his passing outside his Johannesburg home Thursday.
OBITUARIES
Pat Medina Otero
A rosary is scheduled for 4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013, at Ballard Chapel for Pat Otero, 86, who passed away Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, at Casa Maria Health Care Center, surrounded by the love of her family. A funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father Andrew Miles at 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 9, 2013, at St. John’s Catholic Church. Burial will follow at South Park
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Cemetery. There will be a family and friends gathering at Knights of Columbus following the service. Pat was born March 13, 1927, in Roswell, to Juan Lopez and Lupe Medina. Her parents preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death was her husband, Lloyd Otero; step-son Tommy Otero; grandsons: Robert Solis, Darrel Otero, Chris Otero, Raymond Lee Otero, Raul Otero Jr.; and granddaughter Brandy Otero. Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Dollie Lopez, and husband, Manuel, of Roswell; stepsons: Lloyd, Raymond, Raul, Bruno and Arthur Otero, all of Roswell; brother, Pepe Lopez, of California; sisters: Vickie Martinez and Lillie Ruiz, of California; granddaughters: Barbara Campos and husband, Efrain, and Bernadette Lopez and husband, Beto; great-grandchildren: Ardo, Skylair, Kaden Lopez and Kamryn Campos. Also surviving her are her extended family, Diana Pantoja and son, Gavin, of Albuquerque, and Roberta Solis and husband, Xavier, of Roswell; also many dear friends who were like family: Joe, Patty, Mary Ann and Michael Kelly. Pat was of the Catholic faith; she was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church. She was a very caring and
giving person to everyone that she met. Pat traveled with the John Kelly family and was present with them at President Kennedy’s funeral service following his assassination. She loved spending time with her daughter and grandchildren and playing cards. Pat was an excellent poker player. Pat will be deeply missed by all who loved her and knew her. She will be in our hearts forever. Serving as pallbearers are Ardo Lopez, Beto Lopez, Efrain Campos, Bobby Tellez, Danny Montoya Jr. and Ralph Montoya. Honorary pallbearers are the Kelly family and Brady family. The family would like to give special thanks to all the staf f at Casa Maria Health Care Center for the excellent care given to my mother, and her guardian angel, Julie Matta. And for all her family and friends who took time out of their busy schedule to come see my mother and sometimes bring her tamales, rice pudding, chili and lots of goodies. She really loved all of it. Thank you and God Bless you all. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory. An online registry can be accessed at ballardfuneralhome.com.
Clifford Butts
Services are pending at
Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory for Clif ford Butts, 91, who passed away Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in Dexter. A further announcement will be made once arrangements have been finalized.
Victor Contreras
In Loving Memory of Victor Contreras. Born: 2-9-1991 — Died: 11-27-2013
Fred N. Millsap Jr.
Fred N. Millsap Jr., a longtime Roswell resident, passed away Dec. 2. He was born Aug. 14, 1924, in Paris, Texas, to Fred and Josephine Millsap. At 17, he enlisted and served in the 504th division of the 82nd Airborne in WWII as a paratrooper in the airborne artillery. He served in North Africa and Souther n Europe and earned a Pur-
Luther King Jr. and Indian independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi, both of whom were assassinated while actively engaged in their callings. Mandela’s death deprived the world of one of one of the great figures of modern history and set the stage for days of mourning and reflection about a colossus of the 20th century who projected astonishing grace, resolve and good humor. Dressed in black, South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement on television. He said Mandela died “peacefully,” surrounded by family, at around 8:50 p.m. “We’ve lost our greatest son. Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” Zuma said. “Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.” At times, Mandela embraced his iconic status; sometimes, he sought to downplay it, uneasy about the perils of being put on a pedestal. In an unpublished manuscript, written while in prison, Mandela acknowledged
ple Heart and European African Middle Easter n Campaign Medal after being wounded at Anzio. After serving, he met his love, Jean Davis, in Bay Minette, Ala., and they married after a threemonth courtship on March 12, 1946. Fred graduated from Texas A&M in 1949, as a proud Aggie. He served as a landman for Atlantic Richfield and was vice president of Land for Anderson Oil in Roswell and Denver. After retiring from Anderson Oil, he was a consultant for Armstrong Energy Corp. He was a certified professional landman and a life member of the American Association of Professional Landmen. He and Jean split their time between Roswell and their condo on Dauphin Island, Ala., where he loved watching the water and the oil rigs in the Gulf. He was devoted to his family, who affectionately called him‚ “Gandy.” He enjoyed doting on his wife and spoiling his daughter, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, and urging them to finish their lunch so they could go play in the pool with him. He had discerning tastes — mainly including steak, potatoes, Tabasco, peanuts and black jelly beans. They had recently moved to Mobile, Ala., to be closer to their
that leaders of the antiapartheid movement dominated the spotlight but said they were “only part of the story,” and every activist was “like a brick which makes up our organization.” He pondered the cost to his family of his dedication to the fight against the racist system of government that jailed him for 27 years and refused him permission to attend the funeral of his mother and of a son who was killed in a car crash. In court, he described himself as “the loneliest man” during his mid-1990s divorce from Winnie Mandela. As president, he could not forge lasting solutions to poverty, unemployment and other social ills that still plague today’s South Africa, which has struggled to live up to its rosy depiction as the “Rainbow Nation.” Last year, the South African central bank released new bank notes showing his face, a robust, smiling image of a man who was meticulous about his appearance and routinely exercised while in prison.
daughter. He is survived by his wife, Jean; his daughter, Dee Smith, and her husband, Marc; his grandson, Brian Milstead, and wife, Carrie; his granddaughter, Melissa Milstead; his greatgranddaughters: Jazin Milstead and Jayde Belcher; and many dear friends. Military services will be held at a later date. information can be found at Mobile Memorial Gardens Funeral Home (mobilememorialgardens.com). The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org or 1120 G Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005) or a charity of your choice.
Phyllis Tulk
Services are pending at Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory for Phyllis Tulk, 67, who passed away Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, in Hager man. A further announcement will be made once arrangements have been finalized.
Jose M. Campos
Services are pending at Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory for Jose Campos, 91, who passed away Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013. A further announcement will be made once arrangements have been finalized.