Delia Earlene Lee

Delia Earlene Lee, our beloved Matriarch, passed away peacefully in the morning of July 30th in Carlsbad, NM. Earlene, and her twin brother, were born on May 17, 1922 in Electra, TX to Dick and Josie Gwinn. Visitation will be 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Friday, August 3, 2012 at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral Services are scheduled for 10:00 AM, Saturday, August 4, 2012 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel, 900 S. Main Street, Roswell, NM. Interment will follow in South Park Cemetery, Roswell, NM. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Childhood days and early adult years were lived in Phoenix, AZ. A happy memory of that time was when Earlene pitched for the first girls' softball team to play "under the big lights". Another highlight was dancing with Marty Robbins, country western star. In 1942, while working for McDonnel-Douglas Aircraft Company in San Diego, CA, Earlene met and married James Aldin "Jimmy" Lee. The newlyweds moved back to Arizona for 14 years and began their family. In 1955, The Lees moved their family to Roswell, NM, which was their home for the past 52 years. Earlene served as President of the Yucca Porcelain Club 1985-86. She excelled in china, oil and acrylic painting and other creative media. Her talents have blessed family and friends for many years and have become "treasures without measure". Earlene loved working with children, serving at Parkview Elementary School and as a Girl Scout Leader. She especially excelled in the caregiving of her many friends and family members. Earlene lived a beautiful life! She loved nature, the mountains, fishing, gardening, enthusiastic player of games, music and singing. Her legendary recipes and bountiful table; the way she warmly welcomed everyone and never met a stranger; her amazing fortitude to make the best of every circumstance; will forever inspire us to be better than we are. Earlene was a member of the Church of Christ all of her life. In Roswell, she attended services at South Main and Country Club Road congregations. She moved to Carlsbad in 2009 and lived at the Beehive/Good Life Assisted Living. Earlene was preceded in death by husband, Jimmy Lee; daughter, Bobbie Nichols, son, Kelly Raymond Lee; twin brother, Earl Gwinn; sister, Wanda O'Connor, and brother, Kloyce Gwinn. Earlene is survived by son, Jim Lee and wife, Kate, of Baton Rouge, LA; daughter, Joy Mullins and husband, Don, of Kerrville, TX; daughter, Becky Cunningham and husband, J.C. of Carlsbad, NM; son, Zane Lee and wife, Debbie, of Lake Jackson, TX; ten grandchildren: Ronda Fielding & husband, Todd of Lexington, SC; Scott Nichols & Sharon Underwood, of El Dorado, AR; Liza Lee of Baton Rouge, LA; Jamie Yearout of Albuquerque, NM; Shawn Khoury & husband, Keith, of Lake Jackson, TX; John Silcott & wife, Jenny, of Kingwood, TX; Keith Mullins of Newport Beach, CA; Kenton Mullins of Huntington Beach, CA; Hannah Cunningham of Abilene, TX and Caleb Cunningham of Lubbock, TX; twelve great-grandchildren: Hillary, Bridgett, Memmory, Tiffany, Jacob, Amari, Josiah, Lola, Jessica, Courtney, John William and Crosslin; eight great-great-grandchildren: Mylee, Haydyn , Ryleigh, Allysa, Aaliyah, Brennan and two babies to be born in February 2013; sister, Peggy Baier of Sweet Home, OR and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members and close friends. Earlene Lee was exemplary of the term, "Loving Mother". "When life gave her a hundred reasons to cry; she gave life a thousand reasons to smile". Memorial contributions may be made to Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, 103 W. Highway 332, Lake Jackson, TX 77566 or New Mexico Christian Children's Home, 1356 NM 236, Portales, NM 88130. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com.