Jose "Joe" Lerma Fuentes

Jose “Joe” Lerma Fuentes, 64, of Carlsbad, NM passed away on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at the Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock, TX. Jose was born on January 24, 1958, in Artesia, NM to Victor and Rosa Fuentes.

Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Thursday, October 20, 2022, at Denton-Wood Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Services are scheduled for 2:00 PM Friday, October 21, 2022, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Bishop Eric Schweighofer officiating. Interment will follow at the Carlsbad Cemetery in Carlsbad, NM. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Joe was a kind and loving husband of Mary Fuentes for 40 years. He cherished Mary with all his heart and started a legacy with his four children. He taught them all the kind and rough ways of this world and how to handle it with love and smarts.  He started working in the oil patch to provide for his family and ended up making a successful career out of it. Joe was a very hard working man. There was never a day he missed work even if he was sick. 

Joe was a man of so many talents. Including knowing how to fix just about anything, as long as there was duct tape. He was the type of father and grandpa that always showed up and made it happen. If you knew him you knew how proud he was of his grand babies. Coach Grandpa was his name to all the players he helped coach over the years. Ever since his children could play sports, he was known to coach and volunteer any sport they played. Even if he didn’t know the sport, he studied the rulebooks util he “knew it all”! From his children all the way to his grandchildren, Joe was always seen on the sidelines of all the fields. He loved to volunteer by being an umpire and soccer referee as well. Just like his mom, he loved his animals, had a green thumb, and knew how to have a good barbecue. Joe will be forever missed.

Joe was preceded in death by his father, Victor A. Fuentes; mother, Rosa P. (Lerma) Fuentes; two siblings: Modesta Fuentes and Tony Fuentes; nephew, Felisiano Saiz; and one child and two grandchildren.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Mary Saiz Fuentes of Carlsbad, NM; four children: Joe Saiz Fuentes and Tiana Vanik of Nashville, TN; Jessica Fuentes Sonora and husband, Junior of Carlsbad, NM; Jeremy John Saiz Fuentes and wife, Jycell of Carlsbad, NM; and Joshua Lehi Saiz Fuentes and wife, Sabrina of Carlsbad, NM; nine grandchildren: Gabriella Fuentes, Aviana Fuentes, Autumn Fuentes, Samantha Sonora Jeremiah Sonora, Israel Sonora, Matthew Sonora, Jaren Joe Patrick Fuentes, Jacob Mason Fuentes, Jeremy Abram Fuentes, Zayden Fuentes; six siblings: Mary Martinez of Artesia, NM; Rose Madrid of Tomball, TX; Viola Fuentes of Mesa, AZ; Olga Carter of Mesa, AZ; Hector Fuentes and wife, Andrea of Artesia, NM; and Elba McDonald and husband, Selena of Chandler, AZ; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Condolences may be expressed online at dentonwood.com