Elsie R. Kitchens

Graveside services for Mrs. Elsie Kitchens, 95 of Fort Sumner will be held at 10:00 am Wednesday, August 28, 2013 in the Kitchens family plot at Fort Sumner Cemetery, Mr. Dan Craig will officiate. Pallbearers and honorary bearers will include Jerry Sparks, Knox Cortese, Dub Head, Joe Gammill, Bruce Gammill, Gordon Morris, Lee Koll, Charlie West, Jeff Daniels, Mike West, and Joe Spitz. Mrs. Kitchens died Monday, August 26, 2013 at Retirement Ranch in Clovis, NM following an illness. Elsie Rowena (Currie) Kitchens was born August 16, 1918 in Happy, TX to the home of Albert White Currie and the former Syble Willena Burgess. She was reared and attended school in Happy, TX. Following graduation Elsie attended Texas Tech University. Elsie married J.D. Kitchens in Albuquerque, NM in 1949. She taught for one year at Blue Ridge, TX and later taught in New Mexico at Porter, Logan, and at House, NM for 12 years. Elsie continued her teaching education at Eastern NM University in Portales and Highlands University in Las Vegas. She taught Home Economics at Santa Rosa in 1962 before accepting a job with the Fort Sumner Schools where she taught until her retirement. J.D. and Elsie also owned show and race horses including "Real Wind" the only New Mexico bred and born quarter horse to win the 1976 All-American, and Rainbow-Futurity. She is preceded in death by her husband J.D. Kitchens in 1979, her parents and two brothers Warren Currie and Jim Currie. Survivors include a son Richard Morris of Ruidoso, NM, two grandchildren Terri Wisdom and husband Bob of Ruidoso, NM and Clint Morris and wife Kara of Fort Sumner. Also surviving are three grandchildren Jayton Morris, Teghan Copeland, and Jack Wisdom. The family requests memorial contributions, in memory of Elsie Kitchens, to Fort Sumner Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 180, Fort Sumner, NM 88119. Arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home, Fort Sumner, NM. (575) 355-2311.