Walter Grassie

Walter Gene Grassie

Funeral services for Walter Gene Grassie, 59, of Dexter, NM, will be Monday, September 22, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. at Ballard Funeral Home in Roswell, NM. Nathan Grassie, Phillip Grassie, Kim Chesser, and Dave White will be officiating the services. Interment will follow at the Hagerman Cemetery. Following the burial service, the family will be receiving friends at the home of Sybil Regalado in Dexter.

Gene Grassie was born in Roswell, NM on March 16, 1949 to Walter and Helen Grassie. He passed away September 16, 2008 in Butner, NC. Both parents precede him in death.

He is survived by three children: Nathan Grassie and his wife Mandy of Lubbock, TX, Rebecca Sherwood and her husband Scott, of Roswell, NM, and Stephen Grassie of Oklahoma City, OK. He has three grandchildren: Laura Sherwood and Leah and Titus Grassie.

Other survivors include his siblings: Margaret White and her husband Dave, Phillip Grassie and his wife Patricia, Sybil Regalado, and Mary Meda and her husband Ernie, all of Dexter, NM, as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and dear friends.

Gene lived most of his life in Dexter, NM. He was raised on the family farm and graduated from Dexter High School in 1967. He attended Lubbock Christian College and later graduated from Oklahoma Christian University in 1971. He was an accomplished high school and college athlete. He still holds javelin records at Dexter High School and Oklahoma Christian University. In college he was selected a NAIA All American. In 1994-95 he was inducted into the Dexter Demon Hall of Fame.

Gene began his love of teaching and preaching when still in high school, and after graduating from college with a degree in Bible Studies, he preached in Loop, TX, from 1971 until 1975. He served as pulpit minister for Westside Church of Christ in Dexter from 1976 until his retirement from the ministry in 1992. Gene produced and hosted the Restoring New Testament Christianity radio program reaching national and international audiences. He also operated for many years an automotive repair business in Hagerman and always worked on the family farms.

Gene also loved music and entertaining. His music productions for the Dexter Dairy Days brought talent and crowds from far and near to the Pecos Valley. He was a familiar face around southeastern NM as he entertained at senior citizen centers and other events. In 1991 and 1992 he was chosen as the Grand National Yodeling Champion.

He served as a Cub Master with Dexter and Hagerman Cub Scouts. He was a certified hunter safety trainer and volunteered in the area schools with vocal entertainment using his love of music to raise funds for the Dexter School Band.

Pallbearers will be Larry Grant, Glen Finch, Sammy Salcido, Jim Orozco, Sandy Bell and Butch Grassie.

Family will be receiving friends at Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2008.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial donations go to the Central Church of Christ Prison Ministry, P.O. Box 15328 Durham, NC 27704, Attention: Steve Tooten.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Ballard Funeral Home and Crematory. An online guest register can be accessed at www.ballardfuneralhome.com
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Visitation

Ballard Funeral Home
910 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Saturday, September 20, 2008
4:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.

Service

Memorial Service

Ballard Funeral Chapel
910 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203
Monday, September 22, 2008
10:00 a.m.

Cemetery

Hagerman
P.O. Box 266
Roswell, NM  88232

Memorial Contributions

Central Church of Christ Prison Ministry
P.O. Box 15328
Durham, NM  27704