Cecil Lunsford

Cecil M Lunsford was born on March 5, 1932, in Archer City, Texas, to TJ and Lula Lunsford. He was the youngest of 4 children, having one brother and two sisters, all of which have preceded him in death. Cecil married Miss Flo Davis of Loving, New Mexico on July 6,1950, his high school sweetheart, he being only 17 and she 18. It was always said that they grew up with their three children: Shirl Clark of Artesia, NM, Ken Lunsford and wife, Ann, of Houston, TX, and Chuck Lunsford and wife, Sandi, of Lovington, NM. He and Flo will have been married sixty years this summer. Family events and visits were the celebrations of his life. No Papa was ever prouder of his grandchildren. They are Scott Lunsford and wife, Tori, of Lovington, NM; Cory Clark and wife, Kandy, of Carlsbad, NM; Tim Lunsford of Bartlesville, OK; Melissa Graves of Artesia, NM; and Kara Jarke and husband, Mike, of Plano, TX. Cecil is also survived by two great-grandchildren. Cecil’s home and heart was always open to his extended family of nieces and nephews, dear friends, and church members. He was a faithful believer in the salvation of Jesus Christ as the only Son of God. He and Flo were water baptized together at Roswell Baptist Temple, serving as active church members there until retiring to Artesia, NM. They then joined Hermosa Drive Baptist Church, continuing to share their testimony of God’s healing and forgiveness. Cecil learned how to plumb by helping his dad as a teenager, becoming the youngest person in New Mexico to hold a Master Plumbers license at the age of 19. He went on to open plumbing shops in Alamogordo and Carlsbad, NM. Later he became a maintenance supervisor for the Veterans Association Hospitals in Columbia, MO, and Fort Lyon, CO. He won a number of outstanding performance awards before retiring from the VA. Cecil deeply loved the outdoors, considering the flats and mountains home. He taught the younger family members to hunt, fish, trap, and appreciate wildlife as much as he did. He has urged the annual bird hunt he started to continue in his memory. In 2009 he was inducted into the New Mexico Trappers Hall of Fame in honor of his lifelong enthusiasm and promotion of the trapping industry. Services will be held Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 2:00 pm at the Anderson Bethany Funeral and Crematory Chapel located at 2609 South Main St, Roswell, NM. Officiating will be Pastor Gavin Vaughn of Hermosa Drive Baptist Church and Pastor Bill Whitehead of Roswell Baptist Temple. Burial will be at Twin Oaks cemetery in Artesia, NM. Music will be provided by DeaAnna Whitehead and sisters, and by Joby Houghtaling and brothers. Those invited to be pallbearers are Gary Hoosier, Daniel Fuentes, Joe Belanos, Ty Houghtaling, Jim Deason, and Joby Houghtaling. Honorary pall bearers are nephews Tom Lunsford, James Wilson, Gary Lunsford, and all of Cecil’s grandchildren. Please share your thoughts and memories with the family in the online register book at andersonbethany.com Services are under the direction of Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home and Crematory.

Cecil Lunsford

March 5, 1932 - May 30, 2010