Obituary of Joseph L Mancillas

Welcome to Genealogy Trails

Obituary of Joseph L Mancillas

(1946 - 2009)

JOSEPH L. MANCILLAS

He touched many people's lives and was touched by many.
Joseph L. Mancillas, 63, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2009.
He was born June 1, 1946, in Cloudcroft to Lucas and Angelita (Marquez) Mancillas. He has four sisters, Flora Lowery, of Kansas, Lucy Garcia and husband, Felipe, of Alamogordo, Pat Smith and husband, Ed, of Albuquerque, and Esther Davis and husband, Richard, of Cloudcroft, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Carlitos; and brothers-in-law Samuel Lowery, Robert Garcia and Jerry Smith.
Joe lived most of his life in Cloudcroft. He married Sherry Williams Crosson and had two boys, Jody and Jonathan, both of Cloudcroft. Joe worked in construction, logging and a wrecker service. Wrecker business and felling trees became his profession. He owned Cloudcroft Wrecker Service for over 35 years and was the local coffee courier. In 2004, he married Judy Smith Goode. He enjoyed hunting, horseback riding and dancing. He was well known and respected for his kindness and willingness to help others. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
He was a man from the mountain. He loved the mountain. He is our mountain. His memory will live in our hearts forever.
Pallbearers will be Robert Garcia, Richard Davis II, Mike Davis, Felipe Garcia Jr., Lucas Davis, Ricky Smith, Theresa Young, Aletha Leon, Michelle Smith and Vanessa Garcia.
Honorary pallbearers will be Felipe Garcia, Richard Davis, Ed Smith and Richard Smith.
A funeral service will be conducted at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009, at First Assembly Worship Center with Pastor David Crispin officiating.
The rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23, 2009, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Mass of the Resurrection will follow at 11 a.m. in the church with Father Bruce Hausfeld, O.F.M., as celebrant.
Interment will follow in James Canyon Cemetery.
Should friends or family desire, contributions can be made to the Joe Mancillas Benefit at 1st National Bank.
The Mancillas family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Hamilton-O'Dell Funeral Home to direct the funeral services.
Alamogordo Daily News, October 24, 2009

Retyped by Andrew Lee Bristol.

In Memory of Joe

Many turn out to remember beloved Cloudcroft resident

Alamogordo Daily News
By Duane Barbati, Staff Writer

Posted: 10/24/2009 12:00:00 AM MDT

Family, friends and business colleagues said their final goodbyes Friday to Cloudcroft businessman and community fixture Joseph L. Mancillas at a funeral service and Mass of the Resurrection.

A procession of tow trucks, fire engines, ambulances and fire rescue support vehicles to honor Mancillas streamed past closed businesses and government buildings along James Canyon Highway from Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Mancillas passed away after he fell from his bucket truck while trimming pine trees on Swallow Place at a local business around 10 a.m. Sunday.

On Wednesday, Cloudcroft Police Chief Matt Flotte said it was determined to be an accidental death.

"He was utilizing his bucket truck to trim trees at a local business," Flotte said. "He fell out of the bucket and hit the ground."

At a funeral service conducted at First Assembly Worship in Alamogordo on Thursday, Mancillas was described as a friend and family man. He enjoyed hunting, horseback riding and dancing. He also would help anyone who needed his assistance.
Pastor David Crispin said Mancillas was a very attentive man.

"He was a very engaged man," Crispin said. "He stayed connected with people. He was a pleasant person to be around. Joe was a very resourceful person."

Mancillas owned Cloudcroft Wrecking Service for more than 35 years. He worked in construction, logging and owned a tree trimming business.

Village of Cloudcroft Volunteer Fire Chief Erich Wuersching said he knew Mancillas his whole life, but knew him closely for 25 years.

"Joe was very friendly," Wuersching said. "He would help a person with anything."

Wuersching said he remembers a time when tow trucks were called out at the same time as the fire department.

"Joe was always with us on calls and helping people," he said. "He always took care of people in their time of need. It wasn't really his job to help people. His job was to just drive the wrecker, but Joe helped out with the situation."

Wuersching said Mancillas was always a phone call away.

"If someone needed help, you just gave him a call," he said. "I remember many times, especially with the fire department, that Joe helped firefighters. He would go to any emergency incident."

Wuersching said Mancillas would help firefighters by pulling hoses and setting up equipment on structure fires.

He said he remembers Mancillas helping in a winter snowstorm sometime between 1991-92.

"Joe really should have been on the volunteer fire department," Wuersching said. "The power was knocked out during the winter snowstorm. Joe was all over the place pulling trees off of power lines and cutting up all kinds of stuff with his chainsaw. He was running around trying to get things fixed and roads open. Joe was just a guy trying to help out."

In each of the services commemorating Mancillas' life, the family thanked the people of Otero County for their outpouring of support and love in the family's unexpected loss.

Donated by Elaine Watson; Retyped by Andrew Lee Bristol

Joe loved a parade. In lieu of a hearse he was carried from the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Cloudcroft to the James Canyon Cemetery on the back of his own little black wrecker. He always loved a parade and his was impressive. Several of the large wreckers from Alamogordo came and led the parade which contained many many police, fire trucks, and ambulances plus the normal procession. I don't know anyone who did not love Joe.
Photo sent in by Elaine Watson