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DEBRINE -- EMERLINDA G. longtime resident of Socorro County, died peacefully at her home in Lemitar on May 28, 2012 surrounded by her precious grandchildren and family members. She was 80. Emerlinda Griselda Gallegos was born in Socorro, New Mexico on May 26, 1932, the oldest child of Pete and Gloria Gallegos. Her parents and brothers, Raymond, Frankie and Pete Jr. all preceded her in death. She was further preceded in death in 1987 by her husband, Earl DeBrine, a handsome New Yorker from Rochester who came to Socorro to attend the New Mexico School of Mines and promptly fell for a captivating beauty and started a family and business in Socorro and never left. They had four children, all of whom survive her, daughters Stephanie DeBrine (Irion) and her husband Tom Irion, Elaine DeBrine Howell and her husband Kent both residents of Socorro; son Earl DeBrine, Jr. and his wife Joanna of Albuquerque, and son Peter DeBrine and his partner Ken Hartzell, of Paris, France. She is further survived by five grandchildren for whom she lived and who fulfilled her later years, Earl (Trey) DeBrine III, Jordan DeBrine and Joseph DeBrine of Albuquerque and Zoe Howell and James Howell of Socorro. She is also survived by eight nieces and four nephews, five daughters of her beloved brother Raymond; the daughter of her sister-in-law Elaine DeBrine Gates who predeceased her; the six children of her brother-in-law Bruce DeBrine and his wife Georgia, of Broomfield, Colorado, who also survive her together with extended family and friends. Known to everyone as "Mernie," Emerlinda was an FDR Democrat and political trailblazer. She was the first woman chair of the Socorro County Democratic party, serving for many years supporting many local and national candidates. Mernie was the first woman appointed to the New Mexico Highway Commission by governors of both political parties and was also a Ted Kennedy delegate to the 1980 national convention. She was persuaded to run for political office and served two terms as Socorro County Treasurer in the 1980s but retreated from the political scene in 1987 to run the family's farm and business, the Capitol Bar, upon her husband's death. She sold the Capitol to her son and daughter-in-law in 1999 so she could spend time with her grandchildren but continued to run her farm in Lemitar until her death. A Holy Rosary will be held June 3, 2012 7:00 pm at the San Miguel Parish Hall, 403 El Camino Real, Socorro, NM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, June 4, 2012 9:00 am at San Miguel Parish Hall, with interment immediately following at the Lemitar, NM Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers are Earl DeBrine III, Joseph DeBrine, James Howell, Tom Irion, James Kent Howell, Ken Hartzell and Luis Garibay. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Earl DeBrine Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. To view information or leave a condolence, please visit: www.danielsfuneral.com Emerlinda's care entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 309 Garfield St Socorro, NM 87801 575-835-1530
        Published on: Fri June 01, 2012