In Memoriam…
Mary Edwina “Wina” Manning, 74, Midland, entered eternal rest on April 30, 2012 at her home. Wina was born on December 13, 1937 in Silver City to Halpin E. and Mary F. (Wilmeth) McCauley. Wina is survived by one daughter, Kim Dutton (husband, Ted), Sheffield, Texas; one son, Richard Dirk Manning; one brother, Darrell McCauley, Louisville, Texas; one sister, Darlene Thompson, Deming. She was preceeded in death by her husband, Richard “Dick” Manning, the warrior for the West and natural resource use who inspired all of those fighting today for freedom and private property rights.
Erik Ness, a longtime champion of the state agriculture industry, friend to politicians of every stripe, husband, father, grandfather and cowboy bon vivant, is dead. Ness, 57, died May 12 at his home in Las Cruces following a struggle with pancreatic cancer. Ness, who grew up in Alamogordo, attended the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University from which he graduated. He briefly worked as a reporter for KOB radio in the early 1980s. In 1982 he was hired by the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau (NMFLB) to be its communications director. In that job, which he kept until his retirement in 2010, Ness served as a press spokesman, produced radio programs and wrote and edited magazine articles for the organization. An article published after his retirement quoted Ness talking about the agricultural community. “The people we work for are a colorful cast of characters,” he said. “They are real people with pioneer backgrounds, their ancestors came here in wagon trains, and that is interesting,” Ness’ love for music, especially country music, was a major passion. He played guitar and wrote songs. Among his friends was singer Michael Martin Murphey, a former Taos County resident, who he helped promote. He is survived by his wife Sharon Sumner-Ness, Las Cruces; daughter Emily Ness Gaffney, Albuquerque; sons Erik and Garrett, Las Cruces, one grandchild and another on the way.
John J Chappell, 86, Las Cruces, passed away on May 16, 2012. John was born September 10, 1925, in Lubbock to Dell and Ray (Doyle) Chappell. At the age of 3 months his family moved to New Mexico. He graduated from Mountainair High School in Mountainair. He worked briefly for the Santa Fe Railroad before joining the army and served in the Philippines and Korea during World War II as the telegraph operator for the 759th Railroad Battalion. John graduated from New Mexico State University (NMSU) receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Husbandry. John served as a Veteran’s on the Farm Agent for the Acoma, Laguna and Cochiti Pueblo’s and as County Agent at Large in Lincoln and Otero Counties and County Agent for Quay, Colfax, Chaves, and Bernalillo counties. He also worked at NMSU as the Director of Deferred Giving. Among the many awards and honors John received, he was proudest of the NMSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics Distinguish Alumni Award in 1991 and the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Distinguish Service Award in 1982. John is survived by his wife Gloria, and three children and their spouses; Laferne (husband, Tom) Williams, Venice Florida; Steve (wife, Sheri) Chappell of Amarillo; and Lonna (husband, Rob) Andrews, Las Cruces; six grandchildren; one great-grandson; numerous nieces, nephews cousins and friends.
Jackie Stewart, 79, Hotchkiss, Colorado, passed away on April 12, 2012 at his home. Stewart was born in Ladonia, Texas on January 6, 1933 to Monard Gerald and Marjorie Malisa Stewart. At a young age, his family moved to Round Top, New Mexico where he attended grade school. Later the family moved to Mountainair where he attended high school. He finished high school in Corona. His passion was playing football, which he played all four of his high school years. He also helped on the family farm at Clauch, New Mexico. In the fall of 1951 met Jack Patricia Ann Wells. They eloped on July 27, 1952. Their marriage ceremony was at 1:30 a.m. in a filling station in Belen complete with the station attendant as witness. The couple traveled the US and Canada as Jack worked as a lineman and superintendent for Larson Construction then project manager for Donavan Construction. In 1967, they bought a farm on Rogers Mesa in Hotchkiss. Jack continued to work out of town, leaving Patricia to tend to the farm. Jack went to work in 1974 at Hawksnest Coal Mine where he worked until retirement in 1981. After retirement, he continued farming until his death. Jack was a member of the Church of Christ in Paonia, Colorado and later a member of North Fork Church of Christ, also in Paonia. Jack is survived by his wife, Patricia; stepmother, Sally Prosbt, Kansas; two daughters: Liz (husband, Darrell) Kendall, Meeker, and Elaine (husband, James) Martin, Hotchkiss; six grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Editor’s Note: Please send In Memoriam announcements to: Caren Cowan, N.M. Stockman, P.O. Box 7127, Albuquerque, NM 87194, fax: 505/998-6236 or email: caren@aaalivestock.com. Memorial donations may be sent to the Cattlegrowers’ Foundation, a 501(c)3, tax deductable charitable foundation serving the rights of ranch families and educating citizens on governmental actions, policies and practices. Cattlegrowers Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 7517, Albuquerque, NM 87194.