Obituaries

Delbert “Del” Eugene Wheeler passed away suddenly in Kennewick WA April 15, 2022. He was 82. He was born March 23, 1940, in Las Animas CO to Martin and Clara (Babb) Wheeler. He was the oldest of five children and grew up on the family farm overlooking the Purgatory River southwest of Las Animas. At a young age, he helped with the farming and learned to fix farm machinery and work on cars from his father who always stressed safety. In his youth he participated in 4-H and FFA and received recognition for his projects. He graduated from Bent County High School in 1960 and joined the Air Force shortly thereafter. He served four years and worked as a radar technician in Labrador, Canada and Washington State. After serving his time, he settled in Washington and spent most of his working career as a technician for GE Telephone (now Verizon).

A Funeral Mass for Wilfred Tenorio will be held at 10:00 a.m. with a Rosary at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 1, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Las Animas, Colorado. Cremation and inurnment will take place at a later date in Walsenburg, Colorado.

Dwain was afflicted with Alzheimer’s in the last six years of his life. He was lovingly cared for by Bonnie, his wife, and later by Craig and Debbie Ellis, his son and daughter-in-law, in their home for his final 18 months of life.

LAS ANIMAS - Roberto “Bob” “Honkers” “Bobo”“Stretch”Arcenio Montoya, 75, passed away at his Las Animas home on January 18, 2022. He was born on June 10, 1946 in Las Vegas, NM to Jose Rafael & Carmen Aurora Mary (Gonzales) Montoya.