
Claude E. Leyendecker was born on October 15, 1922, grew up in Albuquerque, the son of railroad pioneers. He interrupted his college education for five years to volunteer for service in World War II, and then graduated from New Mexico State University in 1949, with honors, in agricultural education.
Claude's agricultural career included positions with New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau in Las Cruces, NM. In 1958, he moved his family to Deming, NM and managed Farmers, the large store owned by the Mimbres Valley Farmers Association. In 1964, while at Farmers, he was named to the board of Mimbres Valley Bank (now a Wells Fargo Bank). In 1966, community leaders persuaded him to accept leadership of the bank.
Claude was a part of almost every professional, civic, and charitable organization imaginable, on state, local. & national levels; such as, Board Member, Dallas Federal Reserve, El Paso Branch; President, New Mexico Bankers' Association; National Executive Council of American Bankers Association; National Executive Council of Independent Bankers Association of America; Distinguished Alumnus Award of New Mexico State University; Member of State Fair Commission; Delegate to Constitutional Convention; Member City Council, Deming, NM; Board of Trustees Mimbres Memorial Hospital & Nursing Home; Board of Directors, Public Service Company of NM.
Those who predeceased him are his parents; his wife, Josephine Shubert; his son, Phillip; brother, Dr. Philip Leyendecker; sister, Dona Grisinger; and many, many friends.
Those left to mourn him are his daughter Claudia Jeffreys (Gary) of Deming, NM; son Greg Leyendecker (Georgetta) of Albuquerque, NM; four grandsons; Kyle (Heather) of San Jose, CA; Tyson (Jennifer) of Dubuque, IA; Parker (Brittany) of Albuquerque; Turner of Albuquerque; and two great grandchildren of Dubuque, IA, Piper & Winston.
Claude's life was made so much better by his caregivers in his later years: Mari Garcia, Elvira Duarte, Rosa Hayes, Maritza Ortiz, Elduvina (Aggie) Garcia, Penny Belloc, Lorraine Elston, Micaela Fierro, the hospice group, Deandra Holguin, Deacon Art Gutierrez, & Edna Bolanos We loved you & so did Claude.
If preferred, you may make a donation to Mimbres Library Foundation, P.O. Box 1607, Deming, NM 88031; Cancer Support of Deming & Luna County, P.O. Box 1746, Deming, NM 88031.
The funeral mass will be said by Father Prakasham Babu & Deacon Art Gutierrez on Friday, August 13, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 615 S. Copper in Deming. Burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery.
Entrusted to the care of Baca’s Funeral Chapels and Mimbres Crematory.