Beverly J. Lara

Beverly June Lara, R.N., 82, a longtime resident of Las Cruces, passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at her home. Mrs. Lara was born January 16, 1927 in Elkhart, Indiana, and was raised in White Pigeon, Michigan. She received her degree in nursing in 1948 from Mercy College in Detroit. In 1949 she took a nursing position with Carrie Tinguely Crippled Children's Hospital in Truth or Consequences, which was experiencing a shortage of nurses due to a polio outbreak. While in T or C she met Raymond Lara and they married on November 11, 1950. They moved to Las Cruces in 1957 where she filled in as a special-duty nurse at Memorial General Hospital for several years while her children were young. In 1971 she became a nurse with the Department of Public Health, a career from which she retired in 1990. Following her retirement she continued to volunteer with the Red Cross for many years. She was an active member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Survivors include her husband of nearly 59 years, Raymond Lara, of the family home; five sons, Jeff Lara and his wife Connie of Las Cruces, Harry Lara and his wife Barbara of Albuquerque, Tim Lara and his wife Joanna of Gilbert, Arizona, Greg Lara and his wife Joyce of Washington, Missouri, and Jon Lara and his wife Cay of Albuquerque; a daughter Stephanie O'Dell and her husband Harold of Alamogordo; 17 grandchildren, Amanda Varela and her husband Mark of San Antonio, Texas, Christina Roybal and her husband Mike of Las Cruces, Brian Lara of Las Cruces, Miranda Burnett and her husband Andrew of Charlottesville, Virginia, Tiffany Mayton of Gilbert, Arizona, Vanessa Wrolsted and her husband Eric of Albuquerque, Suzanne Baker and her husband Josh of Albuquerque, Ashley Lara of Kirkville, Missouri, Dillon Lara and his wife Mona of Columbia, Missouri, Michael Lara of Albuquerque, Tierney Lara of Las Cruces, Makayla Lara of Houston, Texas, Shana Lara of Gilbert, Arizona, John Rimes and his wife Tracy of Boise, Idaho, Christy Morris and her husband Scott of Yelm, Washington, Dakota Moore and his wife Carli of Albuquerque, and Colton Moore of Albuquerque; 12 great grandchildren; and many other members of her extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Helen (Eymer) Sherwood. A prayer vigil service will be conducted Sunday October 11, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the Getz Funeral Home Chapel with the Rosary to be recited by Rudy Guzman. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated Monday October 12, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with Father Sean Garrity, C.B.S. as celebrant. Committal services will follow in the Masonic Cemetery with Deacon Louis Rom