Dr. Carleen (Crisp) Lazzell, PhD, age 74, died Thursday, January 15, 2015, in Clayton, New México.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, January 19, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church in Clayton, New México with Rev. Robert Hunt, pastor officiating. Burial will follow in the Clayton Memorial Cemetery by Hass Funeral Home of Clayton.
Dr. Carleen (Crisp) Lazzell, PhD was born April 7, 1940, in Clayton, New México to Ira Vincent Crisp and Irene Cecilia (Christian) Crisp. Carleen was loved and respected by so many people from so many walks of life. Her passion for learning and her genuine love of others had a great influence on her children and her grandchildren. Always pursuing her education, Carleen attended college while raising her family & over time earned her BA from UNM (University of New México) while at the same time; Ruleen and Renee were completing their BA’s from NMSU (New México State University) and WVU (West Virginia University). Both Carleen & Ruleen then shared the journey of pursuing their Masters… with Carleen earning her Master’s from UNM in Early Architecture of New México & Ruleen from NMSU with Masters in Public History. Dr. Carleen Lazzell PhD went on to complete her Doctorate at UNM in Architectural History in 1996. With an amazing ability to juggle family, be a professional editor & pursuing higher education,
Carleen became the associate editor of New México Architecture in 1984 – a glossy magazine highlighting New México, both past and present. Another work of love, authored by Carleen Lazzell and Melissa Payne was published in 2007, “Historic Albuquerque – An Illustrated History”. For many years until her passing, she has been an editor of La Crónica de Nuevo México. Carleen loved her work & provided a quality publication for those with a shared love of New Méxican history. She worked tirelessly to gather articles and photos from others as well as provide her own original research on historical subjects surrounding New Méxican history always with the goal in mind to bring New México history to life and preserve events that would otherwise be lost.
She married Rue Lazzell on December 26, 1959 and he preceded her in death on June 17, 2008. In addition to her husband, Carleen was preceded in death by her parents; I.V. and Irene Crisp of Clayton, NM, her brother; Billy James Crisp, Clayton, NM, her father-in-law; Rufus F. Lazzell, Jr., and mother-in-law; Mildred Ray Lazzell, a brother-in-law; Charles T. Lazzell and her grandparents; Ira & Minnie Crisp and Sam & Victoria Christian.
SURVIVORS:
2 DAUGHTERS: Ruleen Lazzell White and granddaughters Claire Renee White and Sophie Irene White of Mesilla, NM and Renee Lazzell DiBello and her husband Samuel DiBello of North Bend, WA, and their five children and seventeen grandchildren.
3 BROTHERS-IN-LAW: Carl L. Lazzell and his wife Anna Louise of San Antonio, TX, Duane P. Lazzell and his wife Sally Wilts of Bruceton Mills, WV and David W. Lazzell and his wife Barbara Walters of Morgantown, WV and their families.
2 SISTERS-IN-LAW: Patricia H. Crisp-Podzemny and her husband Gene and family of Clayton, NM and Dorothy Lazzell.
MEMORIALS: The family asks that memorials be made in Carleen’s memory to the Herzstein Memorial Museum in Clayton, New Mexico or to a charity of your choice.
