James T. LUNDY

LUNDY, MITCHELL, DURAN, DELL, MORALES, ONTIVEROS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/27/2009 at 19:37:06

Deming, New Mexico
November 1, 2001

James T. Lundy, a longtime resident and civic leader of Deming, passed away Saturday, Oct. 27, 2001 at his home. He was born Dec. 16, 1916, to Vern E. and Mary Lou Lundy in Clarion, Iowa. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3-5 p.m. at Baca's Funeral Chapels in Deming. The prayer vigil and rosary service will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church. Mass of the resurrection will be celebrated Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, with Fathers David Bentley, Dan Barfield, Richard Catanach and Joe Anderson as celebrants. Burial with full military honors will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. After attending the University of Iowa, Mr. Lundy volunteered to serve his country. He trained as a cadet in Victorville, Calif., where he received his bombardier wings in 1941. During World War II, he was stationed in England, where he served with the 8th Air Force. He completed 25 missions over Germany. Among other medals, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement and valor in the European Theater of War. He served at Deming Army Air Field as a bombardier flight leader and cadet instructor. There he met and married his wife of 55 years, Celia. Mr. Lundy was an active business and civic leader in Deming before he retired in 1977 as part owner/manager of Mahoney's Hardware Store. He served two separate terms on the Deming City Council; was a charter member of St. Joseph Council 4256, serving as council treasurer for 25 years and as a fourth degree knight with Assembly No. 1731; was a member and past president of the Old Timers Association; and was a member and past president of the Rotary Club. Mr. Lundy was a member of Holy Family Church and served on the first parish council, established in 1949. In 1977, he was appointed by Gov. Jerry Apodaca to serve a two-year term on the International Space Hall of Fame Commission in Alamogordo.

Besides his wife, Mr. Lundy is survived by four sons, John and his wife, Marcella, Patrick and Brian, all of Deming, and Michael and his wife, Mimi, of Jackson, Tenn.; four daughters, Marya Mitchell and husband, Dennis, of Columbus, Ohio, Suzanne Lundy of Alamogordo, Kathy Duran and husband, Stephen, of Deming, and Margaret Dell and husband, Scott, of Fort Worth, Texas; one brother, J. Edward Lundy of Dearborn, Mich.; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Morales, Sean Lundy, and Andrew and Phillip Duran, all of Deming, Lupe Ontiveros of Las Cruces, Kelly Lundy of Silver City, and Blair and Megan Dell of Fort Worth; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Al Castillo, Carney Foy, Jim Foy, Chris Dunn, Frank Dunn and Michael Dunn. Honorary bearers will be A.D. Graveline, Clifford Gray, Claude Leyendecker, Frank Major, Ed Pillar, Bob Pryor, Lewis Putnam, Fred Rossiter, Larry Truax and Eric Jordan. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Holy Family Building Trust Fund, 612 S. Copper, Deming, NM 88030. Entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Deming.