Martha Shoemaker

Services are scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 1, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church for Martha Chavez Shoemaker of 307 N. Paris, Artesia, New Mexico. Mrs. Shoemaker, 80, died Saturday, February 24, 2007 at her home in Artesia. Fr. Paul Murtagh SS.CC. will officiate at the services with burial at Twin Oaks Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Cory McCarrell, Johnny Chavez, Norman Chavez, Tony Chavez, Ernie Chavez, and Ted Lovato. A rosary is also scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 28, at Our Lady of Grace Church. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at Terpening Son Chapel. Mrs. Shoemaker was born March 13, 1926 in Alamogordo, New Mexico; the daughter of Gregorio Chavez and Felicitas Sanchez Chavez. On Jan. 15, 1951 she was married to David Troy Shoemaker in Clovis, N.M. She came to Artesia in 1956 from Fort Sumner, Texas. He preceded her in death July 11, 1975. She was a clerk at McClintock Drugstore and retired in the late 1960's. She was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, a catechist and CCD coordinator for 25 years and active in St. Vincent's De Paul Society, San Jose, and Cursillistas, she also received the Instrumento De Paz award, and was a longtime participant in the Eddy County Fair. Survivors include her sons James Shoemaker of Artesia, Roy Shoemaker and wife Sue of Artesia; daughter, Frances Scholl of Morganton, North Carolina; brothers, Fidel Chavez of Tucumcari, New Mexico and Raymond Chavez of Tucumcari; sister Ruth Martinez of Chino, California; grandchildren, Bob Penland and wife Betsy of Morganton, Debbie Cutter and husband Randy of Claremont, North Carolina, Davonna Ledet and husband Mark of Hernando, MS, Jamie Good and husband Ricky of Anahuac, Texas, Troy Shoemaker and wife Synetta of Denver City, Texas, Roy David Shoemaker of Roswell, New Mexico, Ralph Shoemaker and wife Laurie of Sudan, TX Martha McCarrell and husband Cory of Hobbs, New Mexico, Molly Juarez and husband Danny of Artesia. She had 18 great-grandchildren, several great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Manuel Chavez, and sisters, Guadalupe Salazar, Margaret Gonzales, and Lupe Rico. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincents De Paul Society.