Verlee Mcgonagill

Services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Immanuel Lutheran Church for Verlee Opal Dudensing Jonnie McGonagill, 707 S. Eighth St., Artesia, New Mexico. Mrs. McGonagill, 85, died Friday morning, November 12, 2010 at her home.

After much encouraging from Hattie, his wife, Otto hurriedly hitched up the horse and team to the old wooden farm wagon and drove away into the cold snowy January night. He had to travel over 5 miles into Old Glory, Texas to retrieve the Doctor and bring him back to their farm to deliver their first baby which was on the way. Verlee Opal Dudensing was born on January 25, 1925. She ultimately became the older of two girls. Her Sister Dolores Dudensing Cuthbertson came along 5 years later. They both grew up on that dirt farm near Old Glory, Texas. In those days of the Great Depression, life was hard but that is all they knew. In those times money was not to be had so like all families they had to make the best of it in many ways. From large gardens and orchards and livestock they and the family had to find ways to provide. The same was true for entertainment. Her father and his brothers had a small band and there are stories of music in the home as well as going down the dirt road to the Sons of Hermann hall for dances and picnics.

As the oldest, Verlee loved to play tricks on her younger sister from telling her tall tales to putting baby mice down her back. As most siblings there were times when that relationship was strained but as the years went on they became very close.

Since there were no boys in the family, as expected, the girls took the place of boys and did the full work of boys. Everyone was expected to work in the fields. Grosspapa German and Grossmamma would drive the two tractors while the rest of the family would chop cotton and weeds in other crops. Later there was cotton to be pulled. This would be done by hand and the cotton put in cotton bags being pulled behind them. Everyone was required to wear homemade bonnets to protect them from the sun. Also there was Maze to be hand loaded by the shovel full into the feed bins. Then there was the great job of cleaning out the large chicken house by hand. Great Fun

As she got older job opportunities oil of the farm grew because or World War II. Ultimately she finally got old enough to leave home and went to work in the cafeteria at the Army Air Force Airbase in Stamford, Texas. All the girls that worked there lived together in a boarding house. The girls decided to change their names to boy names so the Air Corp boys would not bother them. The name chosen for her was Jonnie. And she still uses that name today.

The airbase at Stamford was where young pilots were trained. It was in that cafeteria line that a young pilot trainee noticed her and began picking on her. She got so mad at it that she threatened to take off her shoe and hit him with it. He persisted and that is how she met her future husband Ernest Joseph McGonagill. They got married on a Sunday morning in the Lutheran Church in Sagerton, Texas on October 15, 1944.

As the war went on, Joe was posted to various airbases and Jonnie followed and started create a home for her husband wherever they happened to be.

After Joes discharge from the Air Corp the two of them moved to work in the oilfields outside of Artesia New Mexico at the Fair Camp in Loco Hills, New Mexico. While there they had two children, Marilyn and Michael. In 1962 the family moved to Artesia, New Mexico where she resided until her death.

Verlee enjoyed being a Wife, Mother and Homemaker. She was a talented seamstress. She also loved working on and in her House and her yard. .She was most proud of her geraniums each year. To friends and families as a cook she was famous for her Peanut Brittle and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both recipes are still used today in the family.

As one of the founding members of the Immanuel Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod located in Artesia she spent her adult life involved in the activities in and around that church body.

Her Husband Joe, Parents Otto and Hattie, a Niece Gail Ann Cuthbertson, a Son in Law Greg Link and Brother in Law Edwin McGonagill preceded her in Death.

She is survived by Marilyn McGonagill Link, Michael and Candi McGonagill, Dolores and D.E. Cuthbertson, Colin and Patrick McGonagill, Mary Catherine McGonagill, Emery and Lee McGonagill.

Services are scheduled at 10:00 AM Friday, Nov. 19, at Immanuel Lutheran Church. Pastor Richard Von Steinman will officiate at the services with burial at Twin Oaks Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Lindell Smith, Agustine Torres, Salvador Salgado, D.E. Cuthbertson, Mike Shetterly and Harvey Delgado. Visitation at Terpening Son Mortuary will begin at 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Vista Care Hospice Foundation, 400 N. Penn, Ste 500, Roswell, NM 88201 or Immanuel Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 1281, Artesia, NM 88211.