Taos County, New Mexico
Obituaries
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If you have obituaries of your ancestors and would like to memorialize them on this page, please send them to: kmitch web at g mail .com Karen Mitchell

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X-Y-Z


Kahl, Leone
Leone Kahl former Taos, NM resident died in Dallas, Texas June 23, 1968. She was the first director of the Stables Galley of The Taos Art Association. Taos News July 11, 1968 8. Contributed by Alberto Vidaurre.

Kaiser, James Henry
James Henry Kaiser, 84, of Taos passed away on January 12, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Shirley Kaiser, children, Anna Kaiser, Lillian Robertson, Theresa Lyons, stepchildren, Alfred, John and Robert Armijo, Carmen DeLeon, Tommy Lee Kelly, Tim Kelly, MaryAnn Culver, Maureen Kelly, Karen Swetnam, Kevin Kelly, their spouses; as well as 31 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 11 a.m. at San Francisco de Asis Church. Arrangements by Rivera Family Mortuaries.   ABQ Journal January 14, 2009

Karavas, John A.
John A. Karavas age 76, died Dec 8,1967. Drowned while fishing at Guayamas, Mexico. Survivors: Daughter Mary Dolas and husband Gus Dolas; Sisters Chrisanthy Milona and Maria Agrrion; Nephew Saki Karavas and his mother Noula Karavas. Taos News Jan 4, 1968, A 5. Contributed by Alberto Vidaurre.

Keith, Gladys Key
Gladys Key Keith passed away on September 26, 2004 in Taos, NM at the age of 92. She worked for the Las Vegas Public School System as a Physical Education teacher. After retiring from the school system, she went to work teaching Native American students. Her time with the Native American school system was short lived, as Gladys was involved in a near fatal auto accident. Gladys continued working with children, babysitting for friends and relatives in her community. She was a lovely gifted woman who dedicated her life to children. Special Thanks to the Taos Living Center for the fine care give to Gladys. Arrangements by Rivera-Hanlon Funeral Home.    ABQJournal October 15, 2004

Kennon, Glen Autry
El Crepusculo, Thurs., Jan 12, 1950 Glen Autry Kennon, 13, died at Holy Cross Hospital Thursday, January 5. The boy, son of Mrs. and Mrs. J.J. Kennon of Taos, had been afflicted by rheumatic fever for some time. He was born in Taos and had lived there all of his life. Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon in the Baptist Church with the Reverend Wasson officiating. The boy was the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Conrad, also of Taos.

Kim, Byung Sik
Byung Sik Kim, 82, of Taos passed away on December 20, 2006. He is survived by his wife, Young H. Kim, children, Kwan Sook Kim, Hyun Sook Kim, Young Nam Kim (Maria), Woo Nam Kim (Mi Young), grandchildren, Salomon Kim, Alex Kim, Luis Yoon, Veronica Yoon, Phillipe Kim (Vanessa Vigil), Gabriela Kim, Natalia Kim, Arthur Kim and great grandson, Noah Kim.

King, Jimmie
Jimmie King, 63, of Red River passed away on January 20, 2007. He was raised in Ft. Worth, Texas. He married Danetta Blankenship in 1964 in Ft. Worth. Jimmie and his wife, Danetta opened Bandana Properties, the first property management company in Red River in 1980. He was proud to be a working cowboy until his health declined. He won the World Championship of Drag Racing at the 1962 NHRA Winter Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ and was inducted into the Hot Rod Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife, Danetta King, son, Keith King of Albuquerque, parents, James and Mattie King and sister, Carolyn Carpenter (Clayton) of Clyde, TX, mother in law, Billie Martin of Ft. Worth, TX, niece, Christi Carpenter of Abilene, TX and many extended family members and friends. Funeral service was held on January 26, 2007 at Red River Community House. Interment followed at the Red River Cemetery. Rivera-Hanlon Funeral Home.

Kious, Harold E.
New Mexico's financial and local government communities lost a dear friend with the passing of Harold E. Kious on March 6, 2008. He was 91 years old. He is survived by his wife Margaret. He is also survived by his children, Dianne Turtletaub of Albuquerque; son Michael and his wife Patricia, also of Albuquerque; grandchildren, Alisa Young and husband Jamie of Cedar Crest, and great-granddaughter, Stella Blue Young; and Jacob Turtletaub and Ryan Kious, both of Albuquerque. He was preceded in death by a cherished grandson, Alex Turtletaub. He was born in Kingsburg, CA, to George V. and Esther Gwinn Kious. The family moved to Fresno following the death of his father and the near-death of his mother from the Spanish flu in 1919. Following WWII, Harold used the G.I. Bill to attend Fresno State College and majored in accounting. He ran his own accounting business in Fresno until told of a job opportunity in Albuquerque by a good friend, Lin Price, whom he had met while both were prisoners of war in Germany. He was hired and brought his family to New Mexico from Fresno on Memorial Day weekend 1955, whereupon he took the reins as the city of Albuquerque's first finance director. He modernized the city's finance and accounting systems, and was instrumental in the financing of the city's civic auditorium, a uniquely designed building that was considered a premier structure throughout the southwest when it was completed in 1956. His death came two days past the day that marked 65 years after the B-17 he was co-piloting was shot down over Holland in WWII. He was returning to England after a bombing run that became famously known among pilots as "the Hamm Raid," of March 4, 1943. The website of the 91st Bomb Group refers to the mission as the "Hamm Massacre," because most of the groups had received a radio message to abort the mission due to poor weather; Harold's group never received the message and proceeded to the primary target of railroad yards near Hamm, Germany; it was one of the first bombing missions ordered to a target so deep within German airspace. When the weather cleared, Harold's group discovered that there were only 16 bombers present instead of the 64 that had set out on the mission. They made easy targets for the more than 80 German fighter planes that were expecting the full contingent, and the formation was attacked relentlessly for more than an hour. Four planes, including Harold's, were lost, and the rest were heavily damaged and casualties were high. Harold's shot-up aircraft, which had run out of ammunition after the long battle, had almost reached the coast of Europe, and was just about to have clear passage back to England when one of the last pursuing fighters made a direct hit on one of the engines sending the plane spiraling toward earth. Harold was able to slide through a hole in the bottom of the aircraft that had been caused by flak and parachuted into Holland's Waddenzee, an inlet of the North Sea near the island of Texel. He was captured by German soldiers and held as a POW until the end of the war at Stalag Luft III, the same POW camp that was the basis for the movie "The Great Escape." In 1986 a new chapter opened in his life when he received a call at work from Willem Bakker of Holland, who related to him how they had been looking for him for many, many years. He was calling on behalf of the very men who watched his B-17 crash into the Waddenzee on that fateful March day. The Dutchmen were the captain and crew of a ferry boat that was crossing the Waddenzee; they watched Harold parachute into the sea and ordered a lifeboat to his rescue, defying the orders of a German soldier who was present. The icy-cold water had already caused Harold to slip into unconsciousness, and he wasn't aware of the circumstances of his rescue. When he regained consciousness he was in German custody and would not find out about his Dutch rescuers until the call at his office 44 years later. He was overwhelmed upon learning of all this, and in the summer of 1987 he visited them in Holland and did so every summer until just three years ago. He even took Dutch lessons starting at age 71 and became quite conversant, much to the pleasure of his new friends. He also arranged for them to visit the USA, and they were greeted in Washington, D.C. by Senator Domenici; they later visited New Mexico. Harold helped set up a community scholarship fund in Texel, Holland. Upon the opening of the New Mexico Veteran's Memorial in southeast Albuquerque, Harold had plaques made in honor of his B-17 crew as well as for his Dutch rescuers; they were among the first plaques fastened to a wall of honor at the Memorial. While working for the city of Albuquerque, Harold became familiar with the procedures related to issuing municipal bonds, and fell in love with the business. When he left his position as finance director he joined a Kansas City-based investment banking firm with an office in Albuquerque as a municipal finance specialist. He later worked for Goodbody & Co., then the nation's third-largest brokerage firm, before deciding to form his own business, Kious and Co. in 1971. He devoted all his energy to helping his many municipal finance clients in every corner of New Mexico, achieving many firsts along the way. His guidance for more than twenty-three years to the Gila Regional Medical Center in Grant County brought that institution from junk-bond status in the early 1980s to an A rating from Standard & Poor's, the first such S&P rating ever granted to a hospital with under 100 beds. He was also working as financial consultant to Albuquerque when the city received the first A rating for an airport revenue bond. In 1975 he completed a complicated refinancing for the city of Albuquerque for more than $45,000,000 of general obligation bonds, the largest bond issue in state history up to that time. He also served as financial advisor to Santa Fe Public Schools for more than 30 years. His early knowledge of a complicated financing technique called advance refunding resulted in his being well known by bond dealers around the country. He loved golf and had a beautiful, smooth swing. He could have easily been a scratch golfer had he sought that as a personal goal; at age 86 he bought a new set of clubs and played up to the time that chemotherapy and radiation treatments at age 89 finally took their toll on his incredible physical stamina. He also enjoyed skiing at Taos, and did so up until the age of about 78. But Harold never liked setting goals for athletic achievements; his first love and passion was the public finance business and the relationships he created with public officials all around New Mexico. He established a scholarship, sponsored by the N.M. Municipal League, to assist aspiring public administration students around New Mexico. Nothing pleased him more than to visit a city or county and talk with someone who had benefited from the scholarship. He retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Lt. Colonel. He was very amused a few years ago, when he found out via the internet that he still appears on a list of Air Force pilots involved in a mishap. "Hmm," he said, smiling, "Under the circumstances mishaps tended to occur." He found fulfillment in his work and loved helping his clients in achieving their goals; they, in turn, were grateful for his many years of helping them learn the ins and outs of local government finances. He worked tirelessly, usually seven days a week. But like so many of the Greatest Generation, he would never allow any talk of his being a hero, or of having done anything out of the ordinary while defending his country. He credits his sister, the late Raymah Henderson, who was only 15 when she had to quit high school in order to take care of the family, with being the real hero. It was she who had to get a job, become mother, father, brother, and sister to Harold, who was only two years old, and his brother, Carl, who was just an infant. "Who knows what would have happened to us if she hadn't been there," he said recently, while thinking back on his early years. He also felt the real heroes were the Dutchmen who saved him from drowning. Mostly though, he always felt the real heroes were those seven young, wonderful guys, his comrades-in-arms, who weren't able to get out of that B17 on that cold March day in 1943. It surely must be that he quietly kept their memory in this heart each and every day, and lived in a way that would forever honor them. A Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 3:00 P.M. at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 1100 Coal Avenue SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, (505) 842-8800. Memorial contributions may be made to Presbyterian Hospital of Albuquerque. ABQ Journal March 16, 2008

Kittredge, William A.
William A. Kittredge, 92, of Arroyo Hondo passed away on December 6, 2006. He is preceded in death by his parents, Julian and Lucia Kittredge, brothers and sisters, Lillian Montoya, Alice Rochine, Julian and Joe Kittredge and son in law, Eduardo Martinelli. He is survived by his wife, Cornelia Kittredge, children, Mary Ann L. Hall-Peche (Dale) of Santa Fe, Marlene B. Martinelli of El Granada, CA, Deacon Michael Kittredge of Arroyo Hondo and Joan B. Chinn (Brian) of San Francisco, CA. He is also survived by nine grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and brother, Tom Kittredge. Rosary was recited on December 12, 2006. Funeral mass was held on December 13, 2006. Both services were held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Arroyo Hondo. Interment was held at Rael Cemetery in Arroyo Hondo.

Klebanoff, M. Robert
M. Robert (Bob) Klebanoff, MD, passed away peacefully and quickly on May 24, 2005. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Donna Jo Klebanoff in 1990 and his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Kasarda Klebanoff in 2003. He is survived by his daughter, Nina A. Klebanoff, Ph.D., and Mellis Schmidt, PhD of Taos Country and Santa Fe, NM, son David M. Klebanoff, M.D. in Mesa, AZ, John L. Klebanoff in New York City, NY, and granddaughters Amanda C. Klebanoff and Lindsay D. Klebanoff of Mesa, AZ. Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, 2005 at Fairview Memorial Park. Strong-Thorne Mortuary 1100 Coal Avenue, SE 842-8800 ABQ Journal May 30, 2005

Kohler, Dolores
March 02, 2001, The Santa Fe New Mexican, page B-2 DOLORES KOHLER, Age 45, of Santa Fe died peacefully at her beloved country homestead last Friday evening. A native of Switzerland and 23 year resident of New Mexico, she had resided in both Taos and Santa Fe. Artist, silversmith, homemaker, nurturer, and lover of life, Dolores is survived by her parents, Louise and Alban Kohler, of Basel, Switzerland; and siblings: Louise, Silvia Bianca, Sonja, Rolf, Claudia, Sandra Angela, Manuela, and their husbands, wives, and children. Dolores will also be dearly missed by her many friends and loving pets. Santa Fe Funeral Options 417 E. Rodeo Rd. 989-7032

Kohler-Rausch, Zora
Zora Kohler-Rausch, 81, of Red River passed away on November 18, 2006. She owned K-R Business Services in Red River. She is survived by her son, Mario Kohler-Rausch (Diane), grandsons, Paul and Michael. Memorial service will be held at a later date.

Kowclczyk, Kenny J.
Kenny J. Kowclczyk, 32, passed away on September 9, 2005. He is survived by his mother, Bunni Toohey, father, Rudy Kowalczyk, sister, Bethlehem Toohey, brothers Ethan Allen Hitchcock and grandmother Dorothy Krause. A celebration of his life was held on September 17, 2005 at the Western Sky Cafe in Taos. Please send memorial contributions to the Four Corners Animal League, P.O. Box 1163, Taos, NM 87571.

Krone, James Lambert
James Lambert Krone March 13, 1936 - May 23, 2007 Jim passed away in his cabin at Taos East on Wednesday, May 23, 2007. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Karen Pond Krone; three sons: Jim B. of Los Alamos, NM; John of Denver, CO; and Mark of Sherman Oaks, CA; three step-children: Kersti of Seattle, WA; Briget of Cedar City, UT; and Jono of Albuquerque, NM; five grandchildren: Kristina, Kevin, Mark, Michael, and Stella; two step-grandchildren: Elizabeth and Lily; and his brother, Jack of Streetman, TX. Born March 13, 1936 in South Bend, IN, Jim grew up in Springfield, MO. Jim attended Notre Dame on scholarship and earned a BS in Electrical Engineering. After graduating in 1958, Jim came to New Mexico to work for Sandia National Laboratories. While working for Sandia, Jim earned an MS in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Jim fell in love with the mountains of New Mexico and made northern New Mexico his home. Jim worked at Sandia National Laboratories for 38 years. His work supported US treaty monitoring and nonproliferation efforts. Jim contributed to these efforts as an electrical and computer engineer, designing hardware and software for satellites. A great deal of his work is still in use today. He was known for his incredible hard work, trouble shooting abilities and sheer brilliance. In 1985, he achieved one of Sandia's highest titles by being named a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff. An avid skier and ski-team "Dad," Jim spent much of his leisure time skiing, traveling with his sons to ski competitions, and in later years volunteering during the holidays at Taos Ski Valley as an ambassador and parking lot attendant -- positions he enjoyed because of the people he worked with and met. Jim was at his best at his cabin that he built from a kit in the 1970s with help from his family and friends. He enjoyed reading, hiking, following the adventures of his children and grandchildren, and experiencing the passing of seasons at the cabin. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Taos Community Foundation at PO Box 1925, Taos, NM 87571. The family is planning a memorial celebration of Jim's life in early August at Taos Ski Valley. Arrangements by Rivera-Hanlon Funeral Home.   ABQJournal June 08, 2007

Kunesh, John George
John George Kunesh, age 67 and Denise Hancock Kunesh, age 63 died on Saturday July 29, 2006 due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. John and Denise had been happily married for 20 years and during their marriage they enjoyed many adventures including trips to Hawaii, Florida, Europe, the Far East and anywhere that the wind took them. On one of these vacations, they traveled to Red River, NM and fell in love with the town and the community. They returned to Red River each year on vacation and then eight years later, they built their dream home in 2002 and became permanent residents of the Community. In Red River Denise and John enjoyed hiking, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing and through these activities made several good friends who became a part of their family. They had a strong love for all animals and owned several dogs throughout their marriage. They also had a tendency to take in stray cats, and, at one point their home was the home for all homeless cats as Denise had set up heat lamps on timers and beds and fed all that came by for feeding. They loved each and every one of their animals with all of their hearts and treated them like the valued children they were. John and Denise were also active in community activities and were known to spend Thanksgiving morning working in soup kitchens for the needy. John was planning on teaching math at the University this Fall and was working as an independent contractor on projects for the Department of Energy. Denise was employed as a director of nurse certification and traveled throughout New Mexico administering certification tests and managing nursing programs. They enjoyed hiking with their dog Diego and were known to bring him all over town and on many of their journeys. They also loved traveling back East to visit with their family and grandchildren and made the trip two to three times each year. Denise never missed a baby or bridal shower and really made a strong effort to not let the distance interfere with family relations. Prior to living in New Mexico John and Denise lived in New Jersey where they met and fell in love and then were relocated to Burbank, California. While in Burbank they took up mountain biking and cycled nearly every weekend. Eventually John's job brought them to Stillwater, Oklahoma where Denise continued her work in home health care and earned her PH.D. They made several life long friends and joined a cycling club and participated in regular weekend rides and Oklahoma FreeWheel, an annual week-long cross-state bicycle ride. Denise is survived by her two daughters, sons-in-law and grand children: Diane, Tom and Thomas Oborne of Hamilton, NJ; Linda, John and Julia Ahrens of Clarksburg, MD and her sisters Beth Jablonski of Manahawkin, NJ, Eileen Brown of Surf City, NJ and Sister-In-Law Colleen Hancock of Hamilton, NJ as well as many aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. John is survived by his three children and a son-in-law and daughter-in-law and 4 grandchildren: Susan, Christopher Sean, Megan Burke of Phoenix, Arizona; Jan Kunesh of Los Angeles, California; and John, Lisa, Jacqueline and Katy Kunesh of Manhattan Beach, California. John and Denise touched the lives of many people and have many friends across the Country. A service was held at Rivera-Hanlon Funeral Home, on August 05, 2006. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the ASPCA or the Red River Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 1020, Red River, NM 87558

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