Obituaries

Robert Herbert Jr., 72, a resident of Santa Clara, NM entered eternal rest Saturday, June 20, 2024 at Gila Regional Medical Center with family by his side.  He was born November 7, 1951 in Gallup, NM to Robert Sr. and Jo Ann (Begay) Herbert.

Robert grew up in Turnerville, NM and made his home in Santa Clara NM.  He married Rosemary Ashley on December 23, 1972 and was a devoted and loving husband for 52 years.  He attended WNMU and graduated with an Associates in Welding in 2010.  He retired from Freeport McMorran in 2012 as a Locomotive Operator.

He enjoyed watching the Denver Broncos play, camping, fishing, and spending time with his family. After retirement he spent most of his days sitting outside doing little projects around the house listening to his favorite music. He knew many people around the Grant County area, there wasn't a time when someone wouldn't come up to him to say hello and catch up. He was always willing to lend a helping hand. He loved traveling with his family and found his new hobby at Topgolf. He always talked about visiting new places and traveling as a family, many memories were made.  Robert will be remembered as a loving husband, dad, grandpa, son, uncle, brother, friend and co-worker. 

Ernest H. Lewis Jr, 84, of Hanover passed away Sunday, June 23, 2024 at the VA Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. Arrangements are pending under the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ernest Henry Lewis Jr, please visit our floral store.

Charles Kenneth Mullins (Charlie), 67, passed away on Thursday, June 13, 2024, in Prescott, Arizona.

Charlie was born to Wanda and Verdos Mullins on June 20, 1956 in Holbrook, Arizona. He grew up in Bisbee, Arizona and graduated from Bisbee High School. He joined the US Navy after high school and worked on aircraft ejection seats on fighter aircraft. After an honorable discharge, Charlie went to work as a mechanic and welder for Phelps Dodge Corporation and became a master welder and was widely known for his skills. He moved on to work for other companies fabricating and repairing high pressure gas lines. This required extraordinary skill and was extremely dangerous work. Charlie finished his career as a maintenance superintendent for Asarco. He was a great singer, loved music, and was a natural born musician playing several instruments including, guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, bass and harmonica. One time when Charlie and his older brother Ron were young, Ron had just got a banjo and took it to show Charlie and Charlie started playing it like he had had it for years. When he went to give it back to Ron, Ron was so surprised that he could play it so well, he told Charlie to just keep it and Ron walked away.

Verdos Ervin Mullins passed away on December 7, 2018, in Rio Rancho, NM. Verdos was born to John Tolbert and Honor Elizabeth Mullins on August 20, 1934, in Tucumcari, NM.

Verdos was passionate about traditional country music. He started playing a stand-up bass at the age of 12 and by the time he turned 14 years old, he was playing professionally. Verdos played on the radio station KSUN with his father. The band would play Top 20 songs but he would always go back to his love of traditional country. Verdos said, "The band was set to play a gig that night, but the night before, someone had broken the guitar player's guitar. So, I went out looking to borrow a guitar. When I knocked on that door, there stood Wanda Adair. I explained the situation and asked if I could borrow Wanda's sister's guitar." From then on, they were inseparable. They married on April 21, 1950, in Gallup, NM. Verdos and Wanda had a lifetime of loving each other. They travelled playing music together and were members of the Church of Christ.

Dola Jane Arnspiger (Janie), age 76, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 14, 2024 at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces. She was born May 8th, 1948 in Grant County to Charles Shinn and Dola (Fulton) Shinn.

She was a 1966 graduate of Cobre High School. She married Billy M. Arnspiger on December 29, 1990. They were a match made in heaven. She worked as a USPS Contract Postal Carrier for 25+ years, she took pride in her job and loved all the people she met along the way. Janie was a member of the Lower Mimbres Fire department, showing her uncanny need to help people in need. Janie truly had a heart of gold. She would put her own stuff behind to help a complete stranger. Janie had unconditional love for her family and will be missed dearly.

She is survived by her daughter, Sharmon Taylor, granddaughters, Kaleigh (Eric) Herberg & Jordan Hoover, great granddaughters, Makenna & Madelyn Herzberg. She is preceded in death by her Husband Billy Mims Arnspiger, Parents Dola Pearl Shinn & Charles Allen Shinn, and brother Charles Victor Shinn.

Robert Herbert, Jr., 72, a resident of Santa Clara, NM, entered eternal rest on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at Gila Regional Medical Center.  Arrangements are pending with Terrazas Funeral Chapels ~ 575-537-0777.

Quma Martinez Carrillo, 47, A helper, encourager, fighter, and believer. Born on June 25th, 1976. Died on June 7th, 2024. A former resident of Grant County, NM, now of Odessa, TX, entered eternal rest in Odessa, TX. She was born to her parents, David and Yolanda (Martinez) Carrillo in Rock Springs, WY.

She grew up in Silver City, New Mexico, but was a true traveler at heart who lived in California, Arizona, North Dakota, and finally Texas. Quma always enjoyed being with her friends, family and pets (most of all maybe€¦she'd laugh). She was fond of gardening, growing some of the most beautiful sunflowers and ears of blood red corn. Photography is something she did frequently, taking pictures of all natural landscapes and wild animals under the sun. She enjoyed reading classical novels such as The Picture of Dorian Gray and Frankenstein, both great novels that she always recommended. Quma cooked amazing dishes, she loved to eat as well, one of her favorite foods being green enchiladas. Listening and dancing to Spanish music was a favorite pastime of hers.

Jessie Wiggins, 78, longtime Deming resident passed away peacefully on Friday, June 7, 2024 in Las Cruces, NM. She was born January 15, 1946 in Deming, NM to Isidro Bencomo and Maria Vasquez.

Visitation will begin Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 4 to 6 o'clock in the evening at Baca's Funeral Chapel. The Holy Rosary will then be recited at 6. A Funeral Service will follow on Friday, June 21, 2024 at 10 o'clock in the morning also at Baca's Funeral Chapel with the final interment to follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Deming.

Jessie is survived by her children, Lueugene Wiggins, Enrique Wiggins, Frank Wiggins, Robert Bencomo, Shanice Wiggins, Lahoma Bencomo Castile, and Lillie Bencomo; 3 siblings, Tomas Vasquez, Dolores Garcia, and Christina Meraz; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren and a very special niece and nephew Melissa Rae-Lee and Ernest Vasquez.