Obituary of William Esteen Tarry

William Esteen Tarry March 05, 1932 - January 03, 2018 Funeral services for William Esteen “Bill”Tarry, 85, of Lovington, NM will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018 at 10:00 am at Hillcrest Baptist Church with Bro. Harry Pittam officiating. Burial will follow at Lovington Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home. Mr. Tarry was born in Lovington on March 5, 1932 to Joe T. and Hazel Pauline (Cox) Tarry and passed away at Good Samaritan on January 3, 2018. He graduated from Lovington High School then entered college at ENMU and graduated in three years. He then joined the US Army and did his basics at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX and was later stationed in Boston. After his stint in the service he worked for EPNG in El Paso, then Lea County Electric and ENMU and also served as college professor at Western NM University in Silver City. Bill received his Doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado in Greely, CO. He served his community as CPA for forty years in Lordsburg. Mr. Tarry was passionate about his military service and enjoyed doing Government audits for the Pentagon for many years. He married Muriel Hopkins in Lovington on December 19, 1958. He loved music and enjoyed playing the harmonica; was an avid reader, and really liked going to his in-laws at Venita, OK to the “Big Cabin” and was also a WWII history buff. Bill retired as Lt. Col. from National Guard and the NM Reserves and the NM Defense Force. His faith was of the utmost importance to him and he was very dedicated to his Christian life. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother: Tommy “Skeeter’ Tarry; his mother and father-in-law: Don and Bertie Hopkins. Surviving him is his wife Muriel of Lovington; two sons: William Daniel Tarry and Jim of Euless, TX, Joseph Donald and Jennifer Tarry of Rio Rancho, NM, One daughter: Susan and Tom Cunningham of Lovington and one brother: Joe and Leona Tarry of Ruidoso, NM; and two sisters: Helen and Tommy Hare of Barstow, CA and Margaret Livingston of North Richland Hills, TX; one sister-in-law, Joycie Tarry of Roswell, NM ;five grandchildren: Ciara and Phillip of Jonesboro, AR, Joseph and HunterTarry of Gilbert, AZ, Brianna and Jason Manwaring of Rexburg, Idaho, Joshua and Benjamin Tarry of Rio Rancho, NM; three great grandchildren: Kenley and Creed Trotter and “baby Joseph” due in March. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 5, 2018 from 10:30 – 6:00 pm at the funeral home.