Mary Telles

Mary Ellen "Nena" Alvarez Telles has crossed through the veil to be with her beloved husband, Elfego "Sonny" Gonzales Telles and our Heavenly Father on Tuesday, March 25th, 2025, in her hometown of Las Cruces, NM at the age of 74. She was born in Las Cruces, NM on April 21st, 1950, to the late Juan Alvarez and late Eliza Alvarez.

Mary Ellen attended and graduated from Mayfield High School in 1968. She played violin during her school years. After high school, she then graduated from Beauty College and became a beautician. She met and dated the love of her life, Sonny Telles, and married him on September 6, 1969. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the Mesa, AZ LDS temple a few years later. Through their life together, they raised six amazing children. The family traveled the world while Sonny was in the Army. They lived together in Massachusetts, Texas, Germany, Arizona, North Carolina and their home state of New Mexico. The family had many adventures and outings like camping as they traveled across the states and in Germany.

While raising her children, Mary Ellen started her college coursework at El Paso Community College and then transferred and graduated from NMSU. She graduated with a Bachelors in Home Economics and a Masters in Early Childhood Education. She had a wonderful career teaching Kindergarten, First and Second grades at MacArthur, San Andres and Alameda Elementary schools in the Las Cruces area. She maintained loving relationships with colleagues and former students throughout the years. She loved being a teacher so much!

Mary Ellen loved to cook for friends and family with her savory home cooked meals, give haircuts and perms to friends, missionaries, and family, was a seamstress who made clothes for others, loved to do arts and crafts, loved taking photos and sharing them with others. She served her church through various callings in Primary, Young Women’s, Relief Society and Cub Scouts. She served her community and loved her various pets. She always put others first, especially friends and family. She showed and gave love and service to everyone she met.

She is survived by her children Robert (Megumi), Karen (Danton), Matthew (Melissa), William (Rocio) and Steven (Casie) as well as her siblings, Eva Trujillo and Marty English along with twelve grandchildren, and one great grandchild Morgan.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Elfego "Sonny" Gonzales Telles, her son John Telles (Jennie), father and mother, Juan and Eliza Alvarez, brother Johnny and sisters Evelyn and Eloisa.

The viewing will be held on Monday April 14, 2025, from 6-8PM at Getz Funeral Home Chapel on 1410 E Bowman Ave, Las Cruces, NM 88001. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday April 15, 2025, at 10 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Venus Chapel located at 3210 Venus St. Las Cruces NM 88012. Burial Services will follow at the Masonic Cemetery at 760 S. Compress Road Las Cruces NM 88005.