Lena Grace Lachapelle

Lena Grace(Turner) (Powell) LaChapelle was born on June 2, 1926 in Vanoss, Oklahoma to Goldie Etna Hodges and Charlie Luther Turner. She quietly slipped into heaven on the evening of Monday, December 27, 2010. Grace moved to Hatch, New Mexico in 1941 where her son Sammy Lloyd was born. Later, Paul Jean was born in Michigan. Cheryl De was born in Las Cruces after they relocated to Las Cruces due to White Sands Missile Range employment. Grace or "Nick" as her family affectionately called her never left Las Cruces after moving here in 1951. Grace used to say, "Once you get the sand stuck in your craw, you have to stay here." Grace worked in many jobs in Las Cruces. She was a "lunch lady" at Mesilla Park and Hermosa Heights elementary schools during the 1950's and 1960's. Grace began working at NMSU in the Bookstore after leaving her job as a "lunch lady." Though Grace never finished high school, she studied and took her GED and achieved the highest score ever at the time. She took college classes to learn bookkeeping. This enabled her to go from the NMSU Bookstore to Auxiliary Services where she did the payroll for many departments including the Housing Department. Grace became the box office manager of the Pan American Center until her retirement in the late 1980's. Grace retired to continue the home care of her mother, Goldie, who had advanced Alzheimer's disease until her death. Grace loved Jesus and taught Sunday School at Grandview Baptist Church and wrote and printed the weekly bulletin. She was a member of Sierra Vista Community Church the last nine years of her life and they became family to her. Grace loved music and sang in the choir at church, even after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She was a master at shopping and was seen at nearly all the local estate sales. The women of the family often spent the day shopping in El Paso and found the best bargains. Grace also loved to cook and enjoy her cats and dogs. The Dodgers were always her team and she loved cheering for the NMSU Aggies. Her favorite things on television were sports and old movies, especially when they were in black and white or musicals. Grace continued reading until her death. Each moment of each day was new and fresh to her in the last years of her life and she showed an inner joy to anyone who cared to notice. Grace was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease after surviving cancer treatment in the late 1990's and several mini-strokes in 2000. She lived in the Village at Northrise until June 2004 when she moved in with her daughter, Cheryl. Grace was active in Dona Ana County Senior Olympics for many years and last competed in New Mexico and Dona Ana County Senior Olympics in 2010 for which she represented the Dona Ana County Olympics for the Courage Award at the state Olympics. Grace was often seen in Munson Center eating lunch or chatting with those who came. Her Sierra Vista Community Church family saw her each week at services and saw the joy she had during worship services. Grace showed courage in the face of adversity and was a model of leadership even when things were difficult. Grace was preceded in death by her father, Charlie Turner, her mother, Goldie and a grandson, Aaron Christopher Young. She is survived by her brother Charles Turner of Paul's Valley, Oklahoma, and Wanda Tyrell with husband George of Muskogee, Oklahoma; her children Paul of Eagle River, Alaska; Sammy, daughter Cheryl (Young) and son-in-law Henry of Las Cruces; her grandchildren, Danny and Maret of San Antonio, Texas, David of Houston, Texas, Alessandra (LaChapelle) Roach of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Robin of Anchorage, Alaska, Ryan of Albuquerque, Heather (Young) Thatcher of Las Cruces and Christy (Young) Harmon of Centennial, Colorado; eight great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. Grace's smile will be missed, but she is in heaven with those who have gone before her. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Sierra Vista Community Church on 514 N. Telshor Blvd., located directly behind the T Mobile Store on Telshor Blvd. (the old Sertoma Bingo Hall). Pastor Ruben Ortega will officiate the services. There will be a reception after the services. PDF Printable Version