Ralph Thomas Maxwell

Ralph Thomas Maxwell, 78, of Thomason Road, Carlsbad, NM, passed away Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at Carlsbad Medical Center. Visitation will be 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Friday, August 29, 2014 at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, August 30, 2014, 10:30 AM, at Denton-Wood Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Mark Mitchell officiating. Interment will follow in Carlsbad Cemetery, Carlsbad, New Mexico. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Ralph Thomas Maxwell was born March 5, 1936 in Steele, Missouri to Brooksey Newton and Amber (Donavan) Maxwell. He grew up in Missouri and graduated from Van Duser High School in Steele, Missouri and would be celebrating his 60th year school reunion this Saturday. He was drafted in 1958 into the Army and was stationed in the Philippines. Ralph married Wanda Wright on May 24, 1959 in Aiken, South Carolina. He worked for El Paso Natural Gas for 35 years in Carlsbad, Needles, California and retired in 1990 in Ehrenberg, Arizona as a superintendent. After retirement he did contract work as a pipeline inspector for El Paso Natural Gas, Navajo and Holly Energy. Ralph enjoyed working and collecting old tractors. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters: Lavern Bizzell and Johnnie Miller. Survivors are his wife, Wanda Maxwell of Carlsbad, NM; son, Thomas Maxwell and wife, LaDonna of Las Cruces, NM; daughter, Sandra Bender and husband, Tracy of San Antonio, TX; three grandchildren: Conner Maxwell, Ashlyn Bender, Caleb Bender and sister, Billie Clark of Sierra Vista, Arizona. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com.