Refugio Cervantez

Services are scheduled at 9:30 A.M. Friday, March 5 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church for Refugio Cortez Cervantez, Artesia, New Mexico. Mr. Cervantez, 79, died Tuesday, March 2, 2004 in Artesia. Father Paul Murtagh SS. CC. will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery. Pallbearers will be grandsons Gabriel Cordova, Toby Heredia, Pablo Brizeno, Anthony Mendoza, Tony Mendoza, Steve Mendoza, and Carlos Losoya. A rosary service is also planned for 6:30 P.M. Thursday at Our Lady of Grace. Mr. Cervantez was born October 30, 1924 in Presidio, Texas; the son of Milton Cervantez and Refugia Cortez Cervantez. He served in the United States Armed Forces during World War II. On October 6, 1947 he was married to Eloisa Villa in Roswell, N.M. She preceded him in death June 24, 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents; by numerous brothers sisters; and by Maria Ornelas Cortez who raised him. A longtime Artesia resident, Mr. Cervantez was a autobody technician and member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church and the American Legion. Survivors include daughters Mary Ann Mendoza and husband Eliseo of Peoria, Ariz., Margarita Cervantez of Artesia, Gloria Heredia and husband Toby of Artesia, Patricia Cervantez of Albuquerque, N.M., and Ida Grace Cordova and husband Jose of Albuquerque; brothers Fidel Cervantez of Albuquerque, Freddie Cervantez of Blythe, Calif., Jesse Cervantez of Odessa, Texas, Jose Cervantez of Visalia, Calif., Daniel Cortez of Artesia, Juan Cortez of Tucson, Ariz., and Crispin Lara of El Paso, Texas; sisters Lupe DeLaRosa of Roswell, and Manuela Cervantez of California; 13 grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.