Obituaries

Jose Luis Leroy Bustamante

1936-2026

Jose Luis Leroy Bustamante, born June 28, 1936, passed away peacefully on Jan. 28, 2026.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, March 6, at Our Lady of Belen Memorial Gardens.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Adelina Salas Bustamante; siblings, Arturo, Daniel, Manuel, Ruby, Lucy, Stella and Rose; sons-in-law, Dennis Torres and Chris Tabet; and grandchildren, Marcos Torres and Cayla Tabet.

Leroy is survived by his five daughters, Sylvia, Theresa, Cynthia, Mona Lisa and Tina; and many grand and great-grandchildren, who brought him great joy.

He dedicated many years of service working for the railroad before retiring. During his retirement, he enjoyed golf, bowling and spending time with his pets.

He was loved by his family and all who knew him. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.

Romero Funeral Home, 505-864-8501, romerofuneralhomenm.com.

Martin Raymond Campbell

1950-2026

Martin “Marty” Raymond Campbell, 75, of Belen, lost his battle with cancer on Jan. 23, 2026.

Marty was born in Belen, and was raised between Belen, Santa Fe and California, briefly. He graduated from Belen High School and attended some technical schooling before settling in the electrical field.

By age 25, he acquired his journeyman electrical card, along with his electrical contractors license by age 27. As a local family business, Campbell’s Electric has proudly served the community for more than 45 years.

Marty is preceded in death by his parents, Felice and Victor Campbell; in-laws, Reina and Narciso Pino; sister, Susan Mary; brother-in-law, Bernie Pino; twin babies, and granddaughter, Micah.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Veronica (Betty); children, Marty Ray (Denise), Mark (Delma), Matthew (Amanda), Mario (Racheal) and Honorary Denise (Ruben); grandchildren, Madison, Mariah, Mathyus, Brandon (Kyla) and Ashlee (Jacob); six great-grandchildren; siblings, Heneritta (Adolf), Faye (Jay), Bobby (Beverly), Sandra (Larry) and Carolyn (Robert); in-laws, Gilbert (Marie), Mary Helen and James (Rita); and several nieces and nephews.

Services for Marty will be held at Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church. Thursday, Feb. 12, including a viewing from 5-6 p.m., with a Rosary to follow from 6-7 p.m. A final viewing will be held from 9-10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13, with Catholic Funeral Mass to follow from 10-11 a.m. Burial services to be held at a later date.

Romero Funeral Home, 505-864-8501, romerofuneralhomenm.com.

Betty Jones

1932-2026

Betty Jones passed away on Feb. 1, 2026, just 11 days shy of her 94th birthday.

She was born on Feb. 12, 1932, in Socorro.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Billy F. Jones Sr. (d. 2012); and by Lane Gehrman (d. 1980), the father of her children. Betty was blessed with two children, Lon Gehrman and his wife, Sharon, and Lynne Blake. She was the proud grandmother of five grandchildren, Jason, Melissa, Crystal, Matthew and Megan; and seven great-grandchildren, Joshua, Lily, Tyler, Lachlan, Finn, Noah and Mia.

Betty loved her family, friends and her country. She spent many years in dedicated service to veterans and was an active member of several organizations committed to their support.

Her kindness, strength and patriotism touched many lives. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

Jerry Wayne Mercer

1942-2026

Jerry Wayne Mercer, 83, of Peralta, passed away on Jan. 14, 2026, after a long battle with a combination of long-term illnesses. He passed away peacefully in his home.

Jerry was born on Sept. 18, 1942, to Charles June Mercer and Lorene “Sis” Anderson Mercer. Jerry grew up in Brule, Neb., which is a small farming community in western Nebraska.

During his early years, Jerry took on various roles, as one often does in a small community. He played a variety of sports and often had to coerce others to play in order to field a team. Jerry developed a true love for sports of any kind. He loved the outdoors and was an avid jack of all trades.

After graduating from high school in 1960, he attended Colorado State University and earned a master’s degree in hydrogeology. He was very lucky to meet his wife of 60 years, Beatrice “Bea” Standefer Mercer. They were married on Sept. 8, 1963.

Jerry and his wife moved to the Land of Enchantment for a job with the United States Geological Survey. During his work at the USGS, he primarily worked on the WIPP project in Carlsbad. Later in his career, he was recruited to Sandia National Laboratories, where he had an opportunity to be engaged in several types of jobs including work with explosives.

Jerry and Bea built their own home in Peralta, and took special care to make their property a legacy to be passed on. They raised their family of three children, Crystal, Cindy and Randy in Peralta. Jerry dedicated his life to being a great provider for his family. He also made sure that his children, including his special needs son, were given the same opportunities and education he had enjoyed.

Jerry served on the board for La Vida Felicidad, helping shape the program that provides services to special needs individuals in our community. He was recognized on a placard on a wing at the La Vida Felicidad Community Center as a result of many years serving on this board.

His love for the Lord was also a major part of his life. He was always taking on responsibilities, along with his wife, in hopes of bringing others to the Lord and helping them to love the Lord and hear his calling. Jerry served as a deacon, elder, teacher, youth group leader, bus driver and puppeteer to name a few of the hats he chose to wear.

Jerry was predeceased by his wife, Beatrice “Bea” Standefer Mercer; his parents, Charles June Mercer and Lorene “Sis” Anderson Mercer; brother, Robert Mercer and his wife, Gayle Mercer.

He is survived by his daughters, Crystal Phelps and Cindy Mercer; and his son, Randy Mercer. He is also survived by his grandson, Nicholas Phelps; his granddaughter, Samantha Phelps and partner, Adrian Aranda, with his great-grandchildren, Alec, Brooklynn, Kyler and Logan; and his grandson, Brandon Phelps and partner, Tyra Wood-Manygoats; as well as many other family members and friends.

There will be a memorial service and celebration of Jerry’s life at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Bosque Farms Church of Christ, 1635 Bosque Farms Blvd. The memorial service will be streamed live on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. Please contact 505-918-4242 for Zoom details.

You can access Daniel’s Family Funeral and Cremation for services and the obituary website regarding memorial donations and gifts.

Telesfor Patrick Vallejos

1948-2026

Telesfor “Teles” Vallejos, age 77, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on Jan. 28, 2026.

He was born in Taos on Oct. 6, 1948, and was a lifelong resident of Adelino.

Teles was a hardworking and dedicated employee, retiring from the state with more than 800 hours of unused sick leave — a testament to his reliability and commitment.

True to his nature, he continued to work even after retirement. In his free time, he enjoyed hunting and fishing alongside his brothers-in-law and nephews, attending matanzas, playing horseshoes and, of course, spending time with his wife of 47 years, Theresa.

A gentle giant with an even bigger heart, he cherished time spent with his family and beloved pets.

Teles was preceded in death by his wife, Theresa Vallejos; his mother, Margarita Vallejos; his father, Frank Vallejos; one brother and two sisters; his in-laws, Billy and Adela Sanchez, of Adelino; his brothers-in-law, Billy Sanchez Jr., Henry Sanchez, Eddie Sanchez, Manuel Sanchez and Gilbert Gallegos; his nephew, Jerred Zamora; and his niece, Danielle Meegan-Baldonado.

He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Corrine Gallegos, Lucy Mascarena and Gloria Sanchez; his brother-in-law, Boni Mascarena; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Belen Ambercare team and Teles’ caregivers-his sisters-in-law, Corrine and Lucy; his brother-in-law, Boni; and his nieces, Martha and Selina, for their loving care and support throughout the years.

Please contact Romero’s Funeral Home for service information.

Romero Funeral Home, 505-864-8501, romerofuneralhomenm.com.