Ronald Paynter

Ronald Lee Paynter, 88, of Las Cruces, NM, passed away on October 1, 2025, at home with family members by his side. Ron was born on March 31, 1937, in Fair Play, MO to Reba Hembree and Charles Paynter.

Ron’s family moved to the southwest when he was a young boy and they lived west of Deming, NM at the El Paso Natural Gas pumping station. Ron attended the Deming schools and graduated from Deming High School in 1955. He attended the University of New Mexico (UNM), graduating in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. He then became a registered pharmacist in April 1962 and owned his own pharmacies in Santa Fe, NM. This is where Ron learned his life was to be full of love and compassion for other people.

Ron met and married Judith Minces in 1957. Ron and Judith had two children, Rhonda and Charlie. In 2003, Judith passed away. Ron was blessed to have two loves in his life; a mutual life-long friend from Deming helped him and his high school sweetheart, who also had been widowed, find each other again in life and they rekindled their romance. In 2004, Ron married Carol D. Sweem. Ron and Carol lived at Trout Springs outside of Las Vegas, NM for 4 years after which they settled in Las Cruces, NM until his death.

When Ron was a teenager, he worked summers at a ranch west of Deming, where he learned to love the outdoors. He was a football player in high school and loved to engage in sports throughout his life. Ron was in the Air Force for six months after graduating from UNM and then served with the Air National Guard for many years, serving as rank of Captain. Ron loved to travel and visited Africa, China, Peru, Canada and many other places. Ron loved to sing and was a member of the Las Cruces Men’s singing group, Vos Vaqueros. Ron enjoyed flyfishing and freshwater fishing, boating, and hiking. Later in life he took up RVing and camping.

Ron was preceded in death by his first wife, Judith; mother, Reba; father, Charles; and brother, Bill; stepdaughter, Pam VanVekoven and step granddaughter, Jennifer VanVekoven.

Ron is survived by his wife, Carol D. Paynter; daughter, Rhonda Paynter; son, Charlie Paynter; stepdaughters, Kim Norvell (Dave) and Debbie Sweem (Becky); grandson, Connor LeGault; and step-grandchildren, Crystal Davis and Brooke Lockridge (Dustin); and great grandchildren, Hank, Nolan and Natalie Lodridge.

Ron was such a caring man, he met and befriended the Hernandez family and he loved them so much, they were like family to him.

In honor of Ron, the family will hold a celebration of life on November 10  2025, at 2pm at the Peace Lutheran Church, 1701 Missouri Ave, Las Cruces, NM. Ron has been entrusted to Getz Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made to your local humane society in Ron’s name.