Alvin Woodburn

Alvin L. Woodburn

Memorial services will be held at a later date for Alvin L. Woodburn of Hagerman, New Mexico who passed away Saturday April 12, 2008, at a local nursing home. He will be cremated per his wishes.

Alvin L. Woodburn was born March 6, 1919, to Arthur Coffin Woodburn and Willie Mae Gilpin Woodburn in Portales, New Mexico. While in college he rode broncos in rodeos and studied toward his goal of becoming a veterinarian. Uncle Sam called his name and he served in the US Army in the 124th Cavalry in the China Burma India theatre. His was the only US Cavalry unit to receive the combat infantry badge in WWII. He was discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant.

Alvin was manager and partner of the Woodburn Brothers Ranch near Portales until 1960. Next, he took over operation of Garden Center Nursery, in Clovis, New Mexico, a business his brother, Horace, had started. Alvin was one of first landscapers to use rock in landscaping to cut water use. He created many artistic gardens using a handful of trees, chipped marble and red and black crushed lava rock. During his time as a nurseryman, he wrote a gardening column for the Clovis News Journal for many years and hosted the yard of the week contest judged by local garden club members to encourage Clovis residents to beautify their lawns.

Alvin had a lifelong interest in weather and recorded temperatures and rainfalls for the weather service. During his third career, he was a rural mail carrier for the Clovis Post Office until 1990. After that, he purchased mountain property near Bent, New Mexico, where he tried his hand at raising apples, white peaches and other fruit. He grew the tastiest beans, black-eyed peas and carrots too large and thick to be tender, but they were anyway. He finally retired to Hagerman, New Mexico. Unable to truly retire, he took a job as caretaker for the Hagerman Cemetery for about a year.

Alvin is survived by his wife Etta Johnson Woodburn of the family home, daughters; Marilyn W. Lathrop, and Elaine W. Cohen, son; Alvin Charles Woodburn; sister; Jean Henderson of Silver City New Mexico; eight grandchildren and six step-grandchildren.

Alvin was preceded in death by his parents, brothers; A.C. Woodburn, Al Woodburn, Horace Woodburn and one sister Stella Davis.

Those who knew him will miss his corny jokes and dry wit.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory. An online registry can be accessed at www.ballardfuneralhome.com