Deming to Silver City, NM

Silver City, NM

    As I drove toward Silver City, NM, the color of the mountains in the distance changed from white or tan to a dark color -- which meant they had vegetation on them. As I got further along SR180 it became clear that there was enough moisture to support something other than Joshua trees and/or creosote bushes.

    A check of this Wikipedia article revealed that Silver City gets an average of 16.08" of rain annually, which is slightly more than San Jose, CA, receives; the difference is that while the latter city gets the majority of its rains from Dec to Feb, Silver City likely gets more than half of its precip during the summer monsoon season. And because of its elevation, c5900', it does receive some snow during the winter.

    As I neared Silver City I noted a sign to the Fort Bayard Natl Cemetery, which is where a distant cousin is buried. [Click once or twice to see an enlarged view of his headstone.] Berry F. Estes' grandmother, Nannie Maude Farley Estes and my great-grandmother, Martha Elizabeth Farley Shackelford Colbaugh, were sisters.
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    Additionally, Berry's first degree was in electrical engineering, which had been my original career objective until my mother's brother convinced me I'd have more time (3 mos) to fish during the summers than if I worked in an industry where 2 weeks is the usual vacation.

    Berry's sister, Irene Estes Delich, phoned Berry's widow and I plan to phone her tomorrow morning.

    Finally, here is Berry's obituary as it appeared in an Albuquerque newspaper.
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Berry Felix ESTES
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Obituary
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Friday 21 March 2008 Albuquerque Journal
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    Berry Felix Estes, 74, of Silver City passed away in Gila Regional Medical Center Wednesday March 19, 2008. The family will receive friends 2:00 - 4:00 PM Sunday, March 23, 2008 at Bright Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2008 at The Presbyterian Church, 1915 N. Swan Street, Silver City, NM with Reverend Bob Reese officiating. Interment will be in Ft. Bayard National Cemetery.
    Mr. Estes was born March 9, 1934 in Safford, AZ. He was the son of Green Berry and Irene (Felix) Estes. He married Mary Helen McGaughey [on] 30 January 1957 in Morenci, AZ.
    He is survived by his loving wife of fifty-one years, Mary Helen; daughter Martha Stewart and her husband Mike of Buckhorn, NM; son Timothy David Estes of Belen, NM; sister Irene Delich and her husband John of Kansas City, MO; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents.
    Mr. Estes grew up in Morenci and graduated from Morenci High School in 1951. He graduated in 1955 from the University of Arizona with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering. He was an officer with the U.S. Navy, where he received a Meteorological degree in 1958. He attended and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1974 with a Masters Degree in Nuclear Engineering. Mr. Estes was on the team that launched the first Naval satellite over Russia.
    He was a life long learner, he studied Spanish and was an avid history reader, especially about the Civil War. After his retirement from Sandia National Labs he continued working on the Nuclear Safety Board for White Sands. He also was working with Syndetix of Las Cruces [which had a] contract for White Sands. Mr. Estes was an avid baseball coach, he mentored the Silver High School computer team, he tutored high school math, was very active in his church, where he helped install and operate the sound system, he helped remodel the church kitchen and [worked on] any other chores that needed done. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Safford, AZ.
    He was a very devoted, generous, loving husband and father and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
    Bright Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Th 24 Feb Route: Silver City - Lordsburg, NM - Safford, AZ