Obituary of Anita Medina Palma

Funeral services for Anita Medina Palma, 80, of Lovington, NM will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 10:00 am at St. Thomas Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Lovington Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Kirby-Smith-Rogers Funeral Home. Anita was born on August 25, 1938 to Ruperto and Flora (Lovato) Medina in Torrance County, NM and passed away on October 19, 2018 in Hobbs, NM. Being the oldest of six, she helped to care for her younger siblings. The family lived near Mountainair, NM and they heated & cooked with wood and hauled water and wood to maintain their home. In the early 40's they moved to Lea County and worked in the fields. Anita married Jose Palma in Lovington on February 1, 1955 and made her home here. She was a plain spoken, sometimes blunt and stubborn woman, that was fiercely independent but had the biggest servant's heart and a giving spirit. She was always a very hard worker. She worked in a bakery in Lovington and then attended Beauty school and became a beautician, opening her own shop. She sewed the policemen patches on their uniforms in earlier years and sewed and ironed for the public. She was called "grandma" by many and especially the Allsup's people. Anita knitted and crocheted many baby blankets and afghans for others during her lifetime and had a big heart for helping when she could. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one daughter: Roberta Marie Palma; one brother: Miguel Medina and two sisters: Reymunda Bailey and Maria Navarrette. Surviving her are two sisters: Corina and husband Alonzo Leyva of Lovington and Dorothy Reyna of Elk City, OK; two grandchildren: Raul Jr. and wife Jessica Garcia of Lovington and David and wife Maribel of Odessa, TX; also several great- grandchildren and nieces and nephews and many friends.