Suzanne Bennefield, age 67, passed peacefully from this world on Monday, September 25, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colorado after a battle with cancer.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at the Des Moines School Gymnasium in Des Moines, New Mexico with Rev. Ran Loy, officiating. Burial will follow in the Des Moines Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton, New Mexico. A meal will be served at noon in the Des Moines School Cafeteria.
Suzanne was born on June 30, 1956, at Miners Colfax hospital in Raton, New Mexico. Suzanne married Ted Bennefield on May 6, 1982, and together they raised a blended family of four boys in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 1994, Suzanne and Ted moved to Union County, New Mexico to the W Diamond L Ranch started by her grandparents A.F. and Bessie Willett. They helped Suzanne’s mom Nona Arnett, with the ranch and Suzanne took over management when her mother’s health declined.
In addition to running the ranch, Suzanne worked as the office manager and bookkeeper for Ted’s construction business for 40 years.
In recent years, Suzanne served as assistant chief of the Rabbit Ear Volunteer Fire Department and as a poll worker during elections. For a number of years after moving to New Mexico, Suzanne was active in Lariat Cowbelles and supporting youth agriculture education through 4H and other programs.
Suzanne had a talent for creating art and loved gardening. She especially loved talking to and spending time with her grandkids. In that line she also liked to dote on the neighboring ranch kids and her “firehouse kids.”
SURVIVORS:
HUSBAND: Ted Bennefield of Des Moines, New Mexico.
HER BROTHER: Kent Welch of Raton, New Mexico.
4 SONS: Ted Benefield, III of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jeremy Cook of Des Moines, New Mexico, Michael Bennefield and his wife April of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Evan Cook and his wife Danielle of Mesa, Arizona.
6 GRANDKIDS: Ted Bennefield, IV of California, Zephiniah Torres of Lamar, Colorado, Michael Bennefield, II of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Logan Cook and Dylan Cook of Mesa, Arizona and Jayden Cook of Austin, Texas and 2 great-grandkids.
A NEWPHEW: Jim Welch and his wife Leslie of Mesa, Arizona.
2 NIECES: Samantha Rohwer and her husband John of Mesa, Arizona and Vicki Dustin and her husband Darren of Elberta, Utah.
And a cousin, Sabrina Christy, who she treated as a daughter, of Midland, Texas and several grandnieces and grandnephews.
MEMORIALS:
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations in her name to:
Rabbit Ear Volunteer Fire Department, 1415 S. First St., Clayton, New Mexico 88415.
or to: Des Moines Senior Citizens Center, PO Box 127, Des Moines, New Mexico 88418.
