Raymond Castleberry

Services are scheduled at 10:00 A.M. Monday, January 20 at First United Methodist Church in Artesia, N.M. for longtime Artesia resident Raymond H. Castleberry of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. Castleberry, 71, died Thursday, January 16, 2003 in Albuquerque. Rev. Paul Dean Duerksen will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery with graveside honors provided by the Artesia Fire Department Honor Guard. Pallbearers will be James Baker, H. O. Walters, Sammy Martinez, Kent Bratcher, Jim Boyse, Roy Logsdon, Joe Howell, Kent Bullock, Don Carter and Bruce Cabot. Honorary pallbearers will be all area active and retired firemen. Mr. Castleberry was born February 17, 1931 in Artesia; the son of John Riley Castleberry and Zudi Post Castleberry. On August 3, 1948 he was married to Pat Early in Carlsbad, N.M. He was a retired Fire Chief for the Artesia Fire Department. He was a member of First United Methodist Church; past member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs; the New Mexico Fire Fighters Association; was a scoutmaster for Boy Scouts of America; and had served as local director of the Soap Box Derby. Mr. Castleberry was preceded in death by his parents; and by brothers J. T. Castleberry and Roy Castleberry. Survivors include his wife Pat L. Castleberry of the family home; a son John M. Castleberry of Albuquerque; a brother Chester Castleberry of Artesia; a sister Dorothy Newell of Breckenridge, Texas; grandchildren John M. Castleberry, Jr. of Albuquerque, Shane Castleberry of Sarasota, Florida, and Krista Webb of Meade, Kansas; and great-grandchildren Logan Webb, Bradon Webb, and Cassidy Castleberry.