J L Wall

JL Wall of Ranchvale, NM died on Thursday, Sept 21, 2023, at the age of 92 at Retirement Ranch in Clovis where his sweet spirit had gained him the love of his caregivers. He was born on April 14, 1931, to Charlie and Willie Mae McGuyer Wall in St. Vrain, NM where he began elementary school. He started driving a school bus to Melrose at age 14 when the schools consolidated. He graduated from Melrose High School in 1948.

JL was a farmer at heart, but also worked building houses on the base and for the railroad and other jobs in the area. He was drafted into the Army in 1951. Army testing gained him a position learning and testing the new concept of guided missiles. He credits his success in the testing to his dad having had him work with the gears on an old horse drawn planter and computing how they worked. His dad had developed serious health issues and JL was granted a hardship release from the Army to work the farm.

He married Betty Lou Lofton in February of 1955 and soon after, they purchased a farm north of Melrose where they raised crops, chickens, and hogs.

In 1960 they purchased the property north of Cannon Air Force Base where they raised wheat, Milo, and cattle, later adding sugar beets, hay grazer and corn.

JL was a Christian and a very active member of Melrose Methodist Church until his health began declining in the last several years.

JL is survived by his wife of 68 years, Betty Lofton Wall and by their children, Cindy and Alan Herman, Gary and Denise Wall and daughter-in-law Nara and Jason Teague; his grandchildren, Nathaniel and Meleah, Isaac and Kirstin, Seth and Caleb Herman, Joshua and Daniel Wall, Jadin, Joshua, and Benjamin Teague, and great-grandchildren, Ambrose, Amorette, and Pearl Herman along with many nieces and nephews who knew him as “Uncle Sonny.”

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charlie and Willie McGuyer Wall, his sisters, Mintie Crump, Sue Cox and Lou Morgan and by a son, Donnie wall.

Pall Bearers will be his Grandsons, Nathaniel, Isaac, Seth, and Caleb Herman and Joshua and Daniel Wall.

Celebration of Life Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, September 27 at Trinity Methodist Church, 1320 W 21st St in Clovis at 11:00 AM with Kevin Bushart officiating. A burial service will precede at 10:00 AM at Lawn Haven Cemetery on East Llano Blvd.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any contributions in JL’s honor be made to “The Haiti Water Catchment Project” through Trinity UMC or to a charity of your choice.