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John Lerouge Martinez. John departed this life Monday, April 5, 2004. He was born in La Madera, NM June 24, 1919. His family moved when he was very young and he attended first grade through high school in Alamogordo. He attended Highlands University and taught school in Taos for a year before joining the Navy in 1942. After the war, he lived in Vaughn for a few years before going to work for Senator Dennis Chavez in Washington DC. He worked for Chavez until 1961, when he returned to NM where he served as Asst. Secretary of State in the 1960s. From 1970 to 1975 he was State Adjutant for the Amer. Legion, and from 1976 until his retirement in 1985 he was Personnel Director for Bernalillo County. John was very proud of having served his country during WWII and was a member for 57 years of the American Legion and the DAV. He was a counselor at Boy's State for 30 years. John was also a charter member of BPOE Lodge #2500. In 2002, he and his wife moved to Las Cruces after having lived in Albuquerque for over 30 years. John is survived by his wife, Carolyn, two sons: Dennis and Anthony, four daughters: Bernadette Gregg, Annette Kelly, Michelle Loobey, and Lara Martinez. Also, one sister, Charlotte Chavez, one brother, David and eight grandchildren. Funeral mass will be at Our Lady of Fatima Church where he was a parishioner for over 30 years. Mass will be at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, April 13. His cremains will be interred in the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of John LeRouge Martinez to the National World War II Memorial, American Battle Monuments Commission, PO Box 96766, Washington DC 20090-6766. Service arrangements are with Graham's Mortuary and Mesilla Valley Crematory, 555 West Amador, Las Cruces, NM.
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