Ernesto Chavez Prieto

Ernesto Chavez Prieto, 82 of Mesilla, NM died Friday June 12, 2009. He was born November 26, 1926 in Valle del Rosario Llano de Los Prietos, Chihuahua Mexico to Isabel C. and Guadalupe A Prieto. He married his loving wife of 60 years Elisa B. de Prieto in 1947. Ernesto came to know his Lord and Savior in 1949, he and his wife knew the Lord was calling them to take His message to the lost. As well as attending the Golden Gate Theological Seminary, he also worked for NASA and in 1965 was on the team that helped put a man on the moon. As he worked his job by day at night he would go and preach God's message to the brazevos at the houses that they stayed. He preached in Hatch, NM for several years to the Hispanic community. Then he took God's word to La Mesa and Anthony for another 7 years before starting a bible study at his house in Mesilla. The group started growing and they decided to add a second story to his house that later became the Mesilla Valley Baptist Church. The Church grew and bought property a block from his house where the current Mesilla Valley Baptist Church is. He preached at the church until he is 65th birthday when he passed the ministry to another preacher. Ernesto's joy in life was telling the lost about Christ. He would go out of his way to speak God's word. Something his family, friends, and all he met respected, learned and will never forget. He is survived by his five children, one daughter, Isabel Fajardo and husband Richard of Las Cruces, NM; four sons, Ernesto Prieto Jr. and wife CeCe of Sonora, CA; Isaac Prieto and wife Anita of Colombia, MO; Saul Prieto and wife Viviane of Las Cruces, NM; and David Prieto and wife Gina of Knoxville, TN. He is also survived by his brothers and sister Guadalupe C. Prieto of Chihuahua, Chihuahua; Elisabeth Chavirra of El Paso, TX; Cristobal Prieto of El Paso, TX; seven grandsons, eight granddaughters, and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his loving wife Elisa, and brother Jesus M. Prieto. A visitation will be held Friday June 19, 2009 from 5-6 PM at Getz Funeral Home with a prayer service to follow at 6 PM. The funeral service will be Saturday June 20, 2009 at 10 AM at the Primera Iglesia Bautista. Burial will follow at the Masonic Cemetery. Pallbearers will bee Alfonzo and Valentine Bustamante, Jesus Grado, Richard Fajardo, Daniel Prieto and Eeric Prieto. Honorary pallbearers will be Joe Bustamante and Daniel Bustamante. PDF Printable Version