On Thursday, July 12, 2018, William “Bill” Klement, Sr., known to many as a teacher and coach, passed away at the age of 86 years in his home. He was born on August 21, 1931, in Deming, New Mexico, to Adolph and Mary (Moer) Klement.

A Deming native, Bill attended the University of Arizona, where he played football, and New Mexico State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

In 1954, he started his teaching career in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. The following year, he came home to Deming and began a 32-year career with the Deming Public Schools. During his teaching career, Bill was known as a dedicated and disciplined science and physical education teacher.

In addition to teaching for the Deming Public Schools, Bill was also a well-known coach. He began his legacy as “Coach Klement” in 1955, when he first coached the baseball team for Deming High School. Bill went on to coach football, basketball, baseball, and golf, and continued to coach for Deming until retiring in 1987. Most notably, Bill started the Deming Wildcat golf program and laid the foundation for the program’s current success, winning a state championship in 1980 and receiving national Coach of the Year honors in 1981.

Golf was a great passion for Bill. He was a long-time member of the Rio Mimbres County Club, and his individual accomplishments include winning both the Rio Mimbres Club Championship and the Rio Mimbres Invitational golf tournaments. After retiring from Deming Public Schools, Bill spent many years working at the Rio Mimbres County Club, where he continued his passion for coaching by starting and teaching the country club’s first youth golf program.

Bill attended and served at the Holy Family Catholic Church. He was a Fourth Degree member and past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara, sons James and William, Jr., daughter Debra, grandchildren Christopher, Katherine, and Abigail, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by both of his parents, his brothers Lawrence, James, and Leon, sisters Judy and Vera, and granddaughter Rachael.

A Celebration of Bill’s life will be held on Saturday, August 11, beginning with a rosary at Holy Family Catholic Church, 615 S. Copper Street in Deming at 9:30 a.m. to be led by Suzanne Lundy. A funeral Mass will follow at 10:00 a.m. with Fr. Prakasham Babu, Pastor  officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations, in memory of Bill, can be made to either Cancer Support of Deming & Luna County at P.O. Box 1746, Deming, New Mexico 88031, or Holy Family Catholic Church at 615 S Copper St, Deming, New Mexico 88030.
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels.  

WILLIAM T. “BILL” KING, 87, resident of Deming passed away Thursday July 19, 2018 at Mimbres Memorial Hospital.

No services will be held.  Cremation has taken place at Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.

Bill was born October 7, 1930 in Vanadium, New Mexico to John and Cleo Lena (Parson) King.  He served his country honorably in the United States Army from 1949 – 1952 and then came to Deming where he owned and operated Bill King’s Electric until it’s closing.  Afterward he worked for Jim’s Electric until his retirement.  A special thing about Bill is that he was very talented and could make something useful out of most anything.

He is survived by his wife, Patsy A. King of Deming; son Gary D. King of Deming; daughters, Debora Lynn Childers of Deming, Jamie J Brewer and her husband Phillip “Buzz” of Farmington, NM; and 3 grandchildren, Britain C. Childers, Joey Klein and JoLynn Klein.
 
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels and Mimbres Crematory.  

Jose “Ruben” Swarts Torres, lifetime Deming resident passed away Friday July 20, 2018 at the of age 79, at Mountain View Regional Hospital in Las Cruces, NM due to complications following surgery.

Ruben will have a public viewing at Baca’s Funeral Chapel (811 S. Gold Ave, Deming, NM 88030, 575-546-9671) on Friday, July 27 beginning at 5:00pm followed by the Rosary service at 6:00pm led by Eddie & Guillermina Diaz. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Ann’s Catholic Church (400 S. Ruby St, Deming, NM 88030, 575-546-3343) on Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 10:00 in the morning. Concluding services and interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. Father Manuel Ibarra, pastor will officiate. His pallbearers will be his sons and grandsons.

Ruben Torres was born on December 18, 1938 in Deming, NM to Pete and Della Torres. He was an active member of Saint Ann’s Catholic Church and was a member of the Deming League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC 205) and Saint Ann’s Men’s Club where he was able to create and serve his world famous secret sauce barbecue at all the fiestas.

He retired from the New Mexico Highway Department with 45 years of service.  Ruben dedicated over 30 years of his time, energy, and passion to the Deming Public School Board, he held numerous leadership roles including President, regional board representative and was also inducted into the New Mexico School Board Association Hall of Fame. In 2008, Deming Public Schools honored him by making him the namesake for Ruben S. Torres Elementary School in which he played a key role in the passage of the 2006 bond that helped build the new elementary school. The inscription "For the kids," hangs over the entrance to the Ruben S. Torres Elementary School as a tribute to his often-said reason for why he served. 

Survivors include his loving partner Martha Jimenez, sons and daughters-in-law; Ruben and Denise Torres of Phoenix, AZ, Emilio and Maribel Jimenez and Henry Jimenez and Kyleen Snyder of Tucson, AZ, his daughters and son-in-laws; Teresa and Michael McLaren and Deana and Ken Karch of Alameda, CA and his 11 grandchildren.

Preceding him in death are his parents, Pete and Della Torres; Siblings, Agapito II, Raymond and George Torres, Adela Jones, Lumina Morgan and Eloisa Saucedo.

Ruben was 1 of 13 children born to Pete and Della Torres and leaves behind 3 surviving siblings, Erlinda Morales, Colonel Torres and Eddie Torres and many loving nieces and nephews.

He will always be remembered by his quick wit, his sense of humor, his mission to provide education opportunities to kids and his ability to help anyone and everyone who crossed his path.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude’s (www.stjude.org), whose mission is to understand, treat and defeat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
 
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels. 

MARILYN L. LEDUC, 71, resident of Deming passed away Sunday July 15, 2018 at her home.

A memorial service will be this Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 10:30 in the morning at the First Presbyterian Church with Rose Commodore officiating.  Cremation has taken place at Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.

Marilyn was born May 6, 1947 in Norway, Maine to Russell and Dorothy (Peary) Airth.  She and her husband came to Deming from Maine in 2001 and locally she was a member of First Presbyterian Church.  Marilyn had worked as a cashier in a retail store and loved to play cards and travel.

She is survived by her husband, Charles H. Leduc of Albuquerque; sons, Charles N. Leduc of Deming, Larry L. Brenock-Leduc of Anchorage, AK, Victor L. Leduc of Deming; her half brother, Thomas C. MacKay (Janet) of Winston Salem, NC; and 3 grandchildren, Kaino, Olive, and Finnway Brenock-Leduc.

Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels.  

AMY REBECCA (TORGENSON) MILLS, 43, resident of Deming passed away Thursday June 28, 2018 at Mimbres Memorial Hospital.
A memorial service will be Saturday July 14, 2018 at 11 o’clock in the morning at The Grand Motor Inn Conference Room.  Cremation has taken place at Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.

Amy was born April 4, 1975 in Santa Ana, California to Don C. Torgenson Jr. and Susan (Johnson) Torgenson.  She has been a resident of Deming since November 2010 having previously lived in Roy, Utah.  In Salt Lake City, Utah Amy was a Certified Nurses Assistant and worked in that area with autistic children.  Locally she had been employed with Kmart and Walmart and most recently was a homemaker.  She loved to collect figurines and trinkets and special things that were of interest to her.

She is survived by her husband, Roger D. Mills of Deming; children, Derik Mills and Madiason Mills of Deming; her mom, Susan Torgenson of Salt Lake City, Utah; brothers, Jeff Torgenson, Wayne Torgenson and his wife Betty; her sister Brenda Kinsey and her husband Daren.  Amy was preceded in death by her father, Don C. Torgenson Jr.
 
 
 
 
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels and Mimbres Crematory.  

Florence M. Warne, 85, Deming resident entered eternal rest Thursday June 28, 2018 at her home.
 
Memorial services were held Monday July 2, 2018 at 10 o’clock in the morning at St. Augustine Anglican Church. Father John Price officiated. An informal celebration of Florence’s life took place at the Deming Estates Recreation Hall following the service beginning at noon. Cremation has been entrusted to Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.
 
Florence was born October 23, 1932 in Ossian, Iowa to Albert Leuenberger and Thersa (Loesh) Leuenberger. At a young age Florence studied the arts of cosmetology and became a beautician. After her career as a beautician she enjoyed other occupations throughout her life. She and her husband, Jerald, moved to Deming in 2004 from Flagstaff, AZ and made this town their home. She was a member of St. Augustine Anglican Church and a member of the Deming estate bible study group. She was a member of a card group and enjoyed her volunteer work at the senior center.
 
Survivors include husband, Jerald Warne of Deming; daughter, Wendy Hill (Russell) of Bremerton, WA; 3 grandchildren, Sean Hill (Anastasia) of Seattle, WA, C.J. Warne (Tracy) of Bloomington, IL, and Christine Hill; 2 great-grandchildren, Savannah and Sophia.
 
She was preceded in death by her parents Albert and Thersa Leuenberger, 2 sons, Wade and Wes Warne.
 
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels.  

Judy Ann Garrett, 71, a longtime resident of Deming, made the journey home to her maker on June 25th. 2018. She loved all sports, and was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan. She enjoyed country western dancing and wore her “trouble” belt proudly.
     She loved frogs, Elvis, Star Trek and enjoyed creatively wrapping Christmas gifts. She received great joy by spending time with her grandkids. She is survived by one brother, Jerry Garrett (Meddy) of Deming; Loving mother to Mike Myers of Hereford, TX, and Mark Walker of Deming; Proud grandmother of Charlotte Speight (Mike) of Richland, WA, Raymond Goodwin Myers (Nancy) of Chicago, IL, Michael Myers (Satessa) of Amarillo, TX, Jason Myers of Las Cruces, Allison Walker of Odessa, TX, Kari Walker Lass of Santa Fe, NM, and Ember Walker of Deming; Three great-grandchildren, Jacob Speight, Taylor Goodwin, and Rozlyn Lass; Aunt to James Garrett (Michelle) of Deming, Laurel Cutting (George) of Las Cruces, and Kara Bower (Troy) of Las Cruces; six great-nieces and nephews; and one great-great-grand-niece.
     She was preceded in death by a brother, Mike Garrett, her father, Alvin Warren “Ike” Garrett and her mother, Kitty Garrett. Per her wishes, cremation has taken place at Terrazas Crematory and a Celebration of Life gathering has taken place with family.
     Arrangements are with Terrazas Funeral Chapels “Trusted Care for the ones you love” ~ 575-546-0070. To send your condolences, visit www.terrazasfuneralchapels.com