Verla Reiter

A celebration of life is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at Grace Community Church in Roswell, NM for longtime Artesia resident Verla Faye Reiter of Roswell. PMrs. Reiter, 82, went to be with the Lord on Friday, March 12, 2004 in Roswell. PRev. Rick Hale will officiate at the service. Burial has taken place at Woodbine Cemetery in Artesia. PMrs. Reiter was born September 7, 1921 in Hope, NM; the daughter of Lonnie J. and Verla Frances Lee Chester. POn October 30, 1943 she was married to Louis John Reiter, Jr. in Artesia. He preceded her in death September 19, 1981. She was also preceded in death by her parents and by a brother Ralph Lowry. PMrs. Reiter was a retired church secretary at First Presbyterian Church in Artesia. She was a member of Grace Community Church in Roswell and enjoyed going to Bible Study, visiting with friends and painting landscapes. She was well-known for her positive attitude, generous spirit, and easy laugh. PSurvivors include her daughter Lonna Kay Mapes of Roswell; sisters Juanita Lessard of Sacramento, Calif. and Leona Crenshaw and husband Louis of Tatum, N.M.; grandsons Michael Mapes and wife Missy of Clovis, N.M., Mark Mapes and wife Demetria of Lovington, N.M., and Matthes Mapes and wife Kristie of Lubbock, Texas; and great-grandchildren Mason Mapes and McKinlee Mapes of Clovis, and Hunter Mapes and Rylee Mapes of Lovington. PThe family would like to thank the EMS workers, hospital staff and Dr. Vega for their kind and professional treatment.
Memorials may be sent to the Grace Community Church Youth Building Project.