Deaths

— Leroy Mascarenas, Jr.
— Joseph Cook
— Valencia Ann Thompson
— Jackie J. Ratcliff

Leroy Mascarenas, Jr.

GRANTS — Funeral mass for Leroy Louis Mascarenas, 27, will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 29 at St. Teresa de Avilia Catholic Church. Father Matthew Keller will officiate. Burial will be in the Grants Memorial Park.

A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 28 at St. Teresa Catholic Church.

Mascarenas died March 14. He was born May 12, 1978 in Grants.

He was a 1996 graduate of Grants High School.

Survivors include his father, Leroy Mascarenas; mother, Eulalia Mascarenas both of Grants; grandmother, Lucy Martinez of Grants; and grandfather, Jacob Mascarenas of Grants.

Mascarenas was preceded in death by his grandfather, Eufelio Martinez and grandmother, Celina Mascarenas.

Compassion Mortuary of Grants, is in charge of arrangements.

Joseph Cook

FORT DEFIANCE — Services for Joseph Anthony Cook, 41, will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 26 at the Kingdom Hall of Johovah's Witnesses. John Gonzales will officiate.

Cook died March 20 in Gallup. He was born April 8, 1963 in Carbondale, Ill.

Survivors inlcude his wife, Maria Ines Cook of Fort Defiance; father, John Don Cook of Leesburg, Fla.; mother, Jeanne Carnaghi of Ill.; daughters, Aria Cook of Fort Defiance, Toni Muree Cook of Il.; sons, Joseph Anthony Cook, Jr. of Fort Knox, Ky., Marshall Scott Cook of Ill; brother, John Scott Cook of Ill.; sisters, Carmen Chiaventone, Kelly Cook, Holly Elkin all of Ill., Mary Jane Cook of Ind.; stepmother Sally Cook of Fla. and one grandchild.

Cook was preceded in death by his grandmother, Oral Laverne Cook and grandfather, John Hoffman.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 3717 Churchrock, Gallup.

Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Valencia Ann Thompson

STEAMBOAT — Funeral services for Valencia Ann Thompson, 44, will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. President Peter Yazzie will officiate. Burial will be in the Ganado Community Cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services.

Thompson died March 20 in Gallup. She was born March 25, 1960 in Ganado into the Mexican People Clan for the Coyote Pass People Clan.

Thompson attended Ganado High School, Class of 1980. She worked for Toyei Nursing Home, the Steamboat Chapter, and the elections during the Navajo elections. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, listening to music and helping others.

Survivors include her daughter, Vanessa R. Thompson of Steamboat; mother, Susan Thompson of Steamboat; brother, Arnold Thompson of Steamboat and sister, Serafina Thompson of Steamboat.

Thompson was preceded in death by her father, Harry H. Thompson and Amos Thompson.

Pallbearers will be Arnold Thompson, Brian Thompson, Lee Mike Rogers and Gilbert Begay, Jr.

Jackie J. Ratcliff

BELEN — Funeral services for Jackie J. Ratcliff, 79, will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 26 at the First Baptist Church, Belen. Burial will be at Sandia Memory Gardens.

A visitation will be held one hour prior to services.

Ratcliff died March 23 in Belen. She was born in 1925 in Brownfield, Texas.

Ratcliff worked several years for the BIA and Richardsons Trading where she learned to speak conversational Navajo. She was active in the First Baptist Church, Gallup. She taught Sunday school, WMU and mission activities and thr Eastern Stars were she served as Worthy Matron and Grand Representatives. She was also the mother advisor of Chapter #59 order of Rainbow Girls. She retired in Belen in 1990. She enjoyed needlepoint and spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Floyd Ratcliff; daughter, Jovonna Rainey of Belen; sons, F. William Ratcliff of Belen, Ronald Dee Ratcliff of Ga.; six grandchildren and on great-grandchild.

Ratcliff was preceded in death by her parents, Dee and Grace Snow Thorp and sister, JoNell McKinley.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the First Baptist Church, 400 Becker Ave., Belen.