This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: marcenath158 Surnames: Lunsford, Cox, Nichols Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newmexico.counties.donaana/5219/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Professor Jesse V. Lunsford, age 87, passed away Tuesday, February 22, 2011, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Jesse was born September 4, 1923 in Ninnekah, Oklahoma. His parents were James Burl and Nettie Lou Cox Lunsford. He was the fifth child in a family of eight sons and one daughter. He moved with his family to La Huerta (near Carlsbad), New Mexico a few months after birth where his parents and numerous other aunts and uncles established farming operations. He graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1941 and attended New Mexico State University. However, after the outbreak of World War II, he left college and volunteered for duty in the United States Army. He served in combat in Europe after D Day until October 12, 1944 when he suffered a serious wound near Aachen, Germany. He was awarded the Purple Heart and a number of medals for valor in combat. Jesse married Winnie Florene Jones in Roswell, New Mexico on January 31, 1945. After recuperating from his war wound and discharge from the Army, Jesse had a career with the County Health Departments in Carlsbad, New Mexico and Santa Ana, California. He returned to college at the University of New Mexico in the summer of 1950 and graduated with his Bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1953. He also received a Master's degree in civil engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1954 and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1964. Jesse began his professional career as an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Washington State University for three years beginning in 1954, taught for one year at Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute in Tr! oy, New York in 1957-1958 and settled in as a Professor of Civil Engineering at New Mexico State University at Las Cruces, New Mexico beginning in 1958. Jesse was to spend the rest of his teaching career at New Mexico State University, retiring in 1985 as a full professor. As a college professor, Jesse's primary concern was the welfare of his students and was affectionately known by his students for his guidance as a counselor and for his teaching skills as a professor. He received a number of teaching awards, including the Bromilow Award as the best engineering professor at New Mexico State University in 1980. After retirement from NMSU, Jesse spent many happy years as a consulting engineer. In 2005, a number of former colleagues in the Civil Engineering Department, former students, and his family, established the Jesse V. Lunsford Endowed Scholarship, which awards scholarships to undergraduate civil engineering students at New Mexico State University. In addition to being very active professionally, Jesse was a devout member of Panlener Church of Christ in Las Cruces, New Mexico since 1964, where he faithfully served in ma! ny capacities, including Sunday school teacher, song leader, deacon and elder. Jesse and his first wife, Winnie, had six children, Faye Lunsford Hill, Wayne O. Lunsford (Linda), Richard V. Lunsford, Douglas L. Lunsford (Wendy), Stephen L. Lunsford (Mary) and Cynthia Lunsford Porter (John). Jesse married Gladys Nichols on July 13, 1974 and remained married to her until her untimely death on November 14, 2000. Gladys had four children, Terry L. Nichols (Martha), Mike K. Nichols, Donna Nichols Blackman (Kevin) and Theressa Nichols Demers from her first marriage. Jesse always treated Gladys' children as his own and considered his children and her children as one large family. Jesse is survived by his 10 children, 17 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Richard A. Lunsford (Dolores) of Phoenix, Arizona , and Lee R. Lunsford (Golda) of Albuquerque , New Mexico and his sister, Mary L. Alexander of El Paso , Texas . He is also survived by cousins, nieces and nephews and their children, who are too numerous to cou! nt, and his many, many friends. Jesse's greatest loves were his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and close relatives, his church family and all of the students he taught and the people he worked with during his professional career as a Professor of Civil Engineering at NMSU. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 9:00 A.M. at Panlener Church of Christ, 1325 Panlener Avenue, Las Cruces , New Mexico . Rev. Ron Herring, Pastor of the Church will officiate. Grave side services with military honors will immediately follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens Cemetery at Fairacres , New Mexico . Pallbearers will be Jesse's grandsons, Jamie Hill, Colin Hill, Tom Lunsford, Eric Lunsford, Jared Lunsford and Colten Demers. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Jesse V. Lunsford Endowed Scholarship, c/o New Mexico State University College of Engineering, P.O. Box 30001 , Las Cruces , New Mexico 88003 or to the Panlener Church of Christ. Arrangements have been entrusted to LaPaz-Graham's Funeral Home, 555 W. Amador Avenue. 526-6891. An on-line registry can be accessed at lapaz-grahams.com. Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on March 2, 2011 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.