Donald Means

Donald Wilcom Means went to be with his Savior and Lord, Friday, April 20, 212 at Casa Arena Blanca Nursing Home in Alamogordo, NM with his wife, Joan by his side. Don was born March 3, 1929 on the Block Ranch west of Roswell to Robert Burdette Means and Sarah Irena Robbins Means. He was the sixth of eleven children, with 5 older siblings and 5 younger siblings, he said he was always between a rock and a hard place.

The Means family moved to the Jicarilla Mountains of mining claims they owned where Don attended the Jicarilla school finishing the 9th grade. When his dad died, he quit school to work and help support the family.

Don worked at the movie theater, and then his brother, Bob as an auto mechanic. Don served in the Army in Korea, they marched across the Pusan Peninsula and crossed the 38th parallel. Don received the Korean Service Medal and one Bronze Star along with a U.N. Service Medal. After two years in the Army, Don served in the Army Reserves for 8 years. He returned to Carrizozo and resumed work for his brother, Bob. Don was well known for being a good mechanic, an honest and excellent front end alignment man and paint and body repair man. Don was a school janitor and taught an auto mechanics class at night at the school. He worked 18 years as a security guard at White Sands Missile Range. Don was one of the first EMTs in Carrizozo, a volunteer for about 25 years and was on the National EMT Registry. A faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Carrizozo, Don served as a deacon since the early 1960s.

Over 56 years ago, on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1955, Don married Joan Tilch who survives him. He is also survived by two brothers, Vestal Means of Harrah, OK and Richard Dick Means of Fruita, CO 3 sisters, Sarah Lou Carwile of Carrizozo, Verna Mae Rodman of Loveland, CO and Joy Ann Cookie Means of Electra, TX. He is also survived by many nephews, nieces and friends in Carrizozo and the surrounding area. He is preceded in death by 4 brothers, Robert BurdetteBob Means Jr., Lavon Lee Means, Henry Isaac Means and Kenneth Clayborn Means and one sister, Mary Etta Miller.

Dons funeral will be Thursday, April 26, at 11:00 AM at the First Baptist Church in Carrizozo with visitation from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. Cremation will follow with burial to be held at a later date.

The family has requested memorials to the First Baptist Church in Carrizozo.

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