Obituaries

Sandra Kae Doerfler, 76, of Mimbres passed away at her home Monday, February 3, 2025. Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sandra Kae Doerfler, please visit our floral store.

Michael Hawley Garcia

August 18, 1946 – January 30, 2025

Michael Hawley Garcia, 79, of Deming, New Mexico, passed away on January 30, 2025. He was born on August 18, 1946, in Deming, New Mexico, where he lived for the majority of his life.

Michael honorably served in the United States Army, bravely deploying to Korean Conflict and Vietnam. After his service in the Army, Michael pursued his bachelor's degree from Eastern New Mexico University, graduating in 1977. During his time at ENMU, he was an active member of the Delta Sigma Pi fraternity. After which, he continued his dedication to his country by serving as a full-time Active Duty member of the National Guard, where he remained until retirement. His service was a testament to his strong sense of duty and commitment to protecting those he loved.

Above all, Michael was a devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by his children, Nick Garcia (Erica), and Angela Garcia-Hatfield; his beloved grandchildren, Koryn and Ashlen Hatfield and Emilly Garcia, as well as Mireya, Jailene, and Samule; his brother, Louis Garcia (Kay) and nephew, Josh Garcia. He is preceded in death by his parents, Raul and Mary Garcia, as well as his brother, James Garcia.

An obituary is not available at this time for Manuela Lourdes Porras. We welcome you to provide your thoughts and memories on our Tribute Wall.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Manuela Lourdes Porras, please visit our floral store.

Barbara Ann Sloas, 67, resident of Deming passed away Sunday February 9, 2025 at Mimbres Memorial Nursing Home. Arrangements are pending.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Barbara Ann Sloas, please visit our floral store.

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Paul Anthony Padilla on Thursday, February 06, 2025, in Arrey, NM. Paul was born on January 09, 1991, in Las Cruces, NM, to Luis and Frances Padilla, both of Deming.

Paul Padilla was a man of immense talent, kindness, and devotion. He built a modest career in coding, creating tools and plugins for a game engine. His passion for writing code and developing games was a hidden gem, one he humbly kept to himself. Yet, those who discovered his work knew just how gifted he was—his followers often praised his creations, eager to support his next project. Through his work, he formed meaningful friendships, one of which led him to Indonesia, where he collaborated on and completed a full video game—one of his proudest achievements.

In his younger years, Paul was an incredible skateboarder, spending countless hours perfecting tricks and later passing on his skills to his nephews. He had a quiet and shy demeanor, but to those who knew him best, he was full of humor, always ready with a joke and a playful spirit. He loved to tease his siblings and make them laugh, bringing joy to those around him.

Shirley Ann Bentsen, 95, a resident of Silver City, NM entered eternal rest on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at her residence. Arrangements are pending with Terrazas Funeral Chapels ~ 575-537-0777.

Ramon C. Hernandez Sr, 80, of Silver City passed away at his home surrounded by loved ones Tuesday, February 4, 2025. Cremation has been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels.

Visitation will take place at two o'clock in the afternoon on Friday, February 7, 2025 at Baca's Funeral Chapel in Silver City. A Recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at three o'clock with the Funeral Liturgy to follow immediately thereafter. In accordance with Ramon's wishes, cremation will take place following the Liturgy.

Honorary Pallbearers are his sons, Ramon Jr, Gilbert, Vicente, Eric and Benjamin Hernandez and son-in-law, Mike Chacon.

Ramon was born October 19, 1944 in Silver City to Rosario and Viviana Hernandez.

Obituary – George "Jack" Benson, 6-6-1925 to 1-29-2025
Retired Navy pilot Jack Benson drew his last breath on January 29, 2025, just five months shy of his 100th birthday. Jack died peacefully in his sleep at home under the tender care of his loyal life partner and co-adventurer of 36 years, Joyce Newman.

George Albert "Jack" Benson was born on June 6, 1925 in Kansas City, MO. The middle child of five siblings, Jack grew up in Baltimore, MD. The first in his family to graduate from college, he received his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland.

After graduation, Jack enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving for 27 years until he retired as a Commander in 1975, having been awarded dozens of service medals. As a pilot and flight instructor, Jack flew P-2 aircraft and compiled 6,000 flight hours doing reconnaissance missions in and around Korea, Vietnam and Japan.