Laura Ross

Laura Ross, 85, died Friday, May 19, 2006, at the Village at Northrise. She had been a resident of Las Cruces for the past two years. Laura was born in Flory, Texas on December 13, 1920 to Hezekiah and Pearl Howell whose families were pioneers in Texas, the Howell family having descended from a defender of the Alamo. She graduated from high school in Seminole, Texas and earned an associate degree from Wayland Baptist College where she excelled academically and played basketball and tennis. She worked as a bank teller in Midland, Texas where she met and married Richard, her husband of almost 60 years. She was an accomplished cook, seamstress, gardener, taught Sunday school and was a Girl Scout leader. Midland was her home until 1970 when she and Richard moved to Ruidoso, New Mexico where Laura continued to work as a bank teller. She also worked as the bookkeeper for the Sun Valley Water District. Laura was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, her parents, her sister Trueman, and three brothers, Bill, Raymond, and J.P. Laura is survived by her two daughters, Patsy Combs and her husband, Don of Las Cruces, and Brenda Morrison and her husband, Dave of Lakeview, Arkansas; two grandchildren, Ross Combs and his wife, Erin Kerrigan of Austin, Texas, and Kelly Combs of Las Cruces; and brother, Lee Howell of Burnet, Texas. A private memorial service is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Mesilla Valley Hospice, 299 Montana Ave., Las Cruces NM 88005. PDF Printable Version