Deaths

• Richard Martinez
• Mary Elizabeth Meyer
• James Begay
• Larry Skeet
• Lucy Montoya

Richard Martinez

GRANTS — Services for Richard Martinez, 69, will be 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28 at Compassion Mortuary. Pastor Louie Martinez will officiate. Private burial will take place at a later date. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 at Compassion Mortuary.

Martinez died Dec. 25, 2007 in Albuquerque. He was born Dec. 10, 1938 in Truchas, N.M.

Martinez was retired from Kerr McGee Mines. He was a member of the Genesis Worship Center and worked on all of his children’s homes including the remodel of Compassion Mortuary and the Genesis Worship Center.

Survivors include his wife, Lousia Martinez of Grants; sons, Louie Martinez of Albuquerque, Arthur Martinez of Albuquerque, Andy Martinez of Grants; daughters, Susan Crow of Grants, Angela Madrid of Albuquerque; mother, Ermalinda Martinez of Grants; sisters, Ruth Saavedra of Grants, Isabel Romero of Leadville, Colo., Priscilla Valdez of Grants, Lori Martinez of San Rafael; 13 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and three on the way.

Martinez was preceded in death by father, Ricardo Martinez; grandsons, Isaac Crow, Tommy Crow, Richard Crow, Robert Anthony Crow.

Pallbearers will be Tania Crow, Amanda Praire, Derick Gonzales, Nicole Martinez, Eric Martinez, Renee Martinez, Noah Martinez, Timothy Madrid, Josh Madrid, Tony Madrid, Gerrad Praire, Alex “Hollywood” Salas, Isabel Martinez, Mikah Saiz, Racquel Saiz and Joel Saiz.

Mary Elizabeth Meyer

FARMINGTON – Mary Elizabeth “Liz” Meyer, 81, of Farmington, N.M., died Dec. 21, 2007, at San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington after suffering a stroke. Cremation has taken place and a family service will be held in Sullivan, Mo., at a later date. She was born May 24, 1926, in Bonne Terre, Mo., to William E. and Edith R. Mayberry, the youngest of nine brothers and sisters. She graduated from Bonne Terre High School in 1944 and married her high school sweetheart, Jim Heifner. The couple had two children, Keith Wayne and James Barry and were married for 28 years before divorcing in 1974. After her divorce, Liz moved to Sullivan to live with her son Keith, who was the minister at Grace United Methodist Church. In Sullivan she met Gene Meyer, a partner in Williams & Meyer Insurance Agency and they married in 1976. They were active in their church and had many friends in Sullivan. In 2004, three years after the death of her husband, she moved to Farmington to live near her son Barry.

She is survived by her sons Barry Heifner and wife Marcia of Gallup and Keith Heifner and wife Becky of Naples, Fla.; stepdaughter Suzette Rogers of Pea Ridge, Ark.; numerous nieces, nephews, one grandchild, several great-grandchildren, stepgrandchildren and stepgreat-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her oldest sister, Evelyn in 1938; her parents; brothers Foster Mayberry, George Mayberry, Norman Mayberry, Raymond Mayberry, Robert Mayberry, and Russell Mayberry; and her sister, Ruth Mothershead.

Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

James Begay

INDIAN WELLS, Ariz. — Funeral services for James J. Begay, 81, will be 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28 at the Indian Wells Presbyterian Church. Rev. Jack Cooke will officiate. Burial will be in private family plot, Indian Wells.

Begay died Dec. 21, 2007 in Flagstaff. He was born Sept. 29, 1926 in Indian Wells.

Survivors include brother, Kee Lester of Dilkon, Ariz.; sisters, Dorothy Benally, Minnie Yazzie, Anne Phillips, Lucy Bekis, Judi Maestas, all of Indian Wells, Lucille L. Begay of Fort Defiance.

Begay was preceded in death by his father, Lee Lester; mother, Alice Lester; sister, Jeanatte Ahasteen.

Pallbearers will be Frances Bekis Joe Jr., D. Todd Begay, Terry Maestas, Joseph W. Begay, Marty K. Lee, Wayne Bitsui Jr.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Indian Wells Presbyterian Church, following funeral services.

Silver Creek Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Larry Skeet

COUSINS, N.M. — Funeral services for Larry T. Skeet, 57, will be 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 27 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Skeet died Dec. 19, 2007 in Cousins. He was born July 23, 1950 in Cousins into the Water Edge People Clan for the Red Bottom People Clan.

Skeet attended Wingate High School up to the 10th grade. He then enlisted into the U.S. Marines Corps, where he received the National Defense Service medal and Vietnamese Service medal.

Survivors include his son, Larry T. Skeet Jr.; brothers, Frankie, Calvin Skeet of Cousins, Phillip Skeet of Purtty Rock, N.M.; sister, Nancy King of Cousins.

Skeet was preceded in death by his father, John T. Skeet; mother, Irene Skeet; grandmother, Mary Smith.

Pallbearers will be Leroy Tsosie, Steven Nez, Marvin Francisco, Stanford Nez, Darrell Nez and Willie Smith.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Rita Smith’s residence after services..

Cope Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Lucy Montoya

GALLUP — Services are pending for Lucy Montoya, 89, of Gallup.

Montoya died Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2007 in Gallup. She was born August 17, 1918 in Willard.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.