Edward N. Dorbandt

Edward N. Dorbandt loved life and leaves it behind too soon for his family and friends to fathom. He is survived by Jan Murphree Dorbandt, his wife of 25 years, sons Evan (23) and Ryan (21), siblings Dee Miller (Gary), Robby, Larry (Mary) and Debbie Burch (David), nephews Doug Miller, David Dorbandt, Erin Dorbandt and nieces Natalie and Madeline Burch, cousins Sandra (Tiny) Sappington, Frank Simpson, Linda Long (Bill), Sandy Mexal (Mark), Laurie Tittle (Kevin) and Christine Ramsey (Ross) and countless friends, especially Mark Houldsworth, Ruth Seirp and Jody Pennington. Born January 17, 1952 to Robert Lee and Jeane Simpson Dorbandt, Ed was welcomed to the Simpson family farm in Hatch, New Mexico where he and the Dorbandt clan lived his first four years surrounded by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins forming loving bonds that would remain important to all throughout his life. From 1956 until April 7, 2013 Ed considered Las Cruces his home even while he served his country as a Vulcan commander in an anti-aircraft artillery battery in the US Army and also when he worked in Dallas, Texas and in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Ed attended Mesilla Park Elementary School, Alameda Jr. High School, Mayfield High School and NMSU. He studied business in college, but had already mastered the art of providing outstanding service and product in exchange for a fair price before he started kindergarten at Mrs. Black's. Before he was 25 years old, Ed partnered with his lifelong friend, Terry Wood, as owners of the Mission Inn Best Western where they opened the Rain Forest Lounge and the Hidden Forest restaurant, popular establishments at the time. From his preschool entrepreneurial endeavors to his final career as a real estate developer and building contractor, Ed valued his clients' satisfaction above all else, except family. He lovingly cared for his mother during the years before her death. He considered himself the luckiest man on earth to have been blessed with his wife and two sons. A fiercely devoted and loving husband, father, son, brother, cousin, uncle and friend, Ed exuded kindness, humor, joy, compassion, wit and courage and will be missed beyond measure. Services will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 225 W. Griggs Ave. at 2:00 pm, Friday, April 12. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to The Ed Dorbandt Memorial Trust, 2521 N. Main St., Unit 1-174, Las Cruces, NM 88001 PDF Printable Version