Leota Pfingsen

Leota Pfingsten died quietly in her sleep at her home in Lincoln, New Mexico on March 16, 2011. She was 92 years old. Memorial services will be held in Traylor Gymnasium, Capitan Municipal Schools on April 16, 2011 at 11:00a.m.. Following the service there will be a potluck dinner. Meat, bread and beverages will be provided, please bring a side dish or a dessert.

Mrs. Pfingsten was born to Fredrick Monroe Bradford and Margaret Maggie McNatt Bradford in Alamogordo, New Mexico on April 19, 1918. Her father ran 3000 head of angora goats on the Sweetwater Ranch around Salinas Peak in the San Andreas Mountains in what is now White Sands Missile Range. Maggie Bradford and her children lived in Alamogordo during the school year and worked at Sweetwater Ranch during school vacations and holidays. They rode burros on the ranch. Leotas burro was Old Johnny. She would say that she was almost raised by him One of her favorite stories was about the time she was riding Old Johnny across a stretch of pan rock on Salinas Mountain when he froze, stopped dead in his tracks. She yelled and kicked, but he wouldnt move an inch. Then she noticed a rattlesnake slithering between his legs. He wouldnt budge until it was long gone.

Leota married Fred Wells Peg Pfingsten of Capitan on July 16, 1940. Peg and Leota raised cattle in the Rio Bonito Valley, on Nogal Mesa and in the Capitan Mountains for 70 years.

Mrs. Pfingsten attended New Mexico State University Then New Mexico AM College in Las Cruces in the 1930s and received a Bachelor of Science degree in education with minors in English, psychology, social science, art and music from New Mexico Western University. Leota was an accomplished wood carver and rose gardener. She taught in Hondo and Capitan public schools retiring in 1978 after 38 years. Mrs. Pfingsten often said Of all Ive done, I loved teaching the most. I taught second grade, and loved to see children blossoming, awakening, day by day. I used music to reach them, if they didnt like math or spelling, Id put it to music. Never did I meet a child I couldnt reach with music. Leota graced many local events with her beautiful singing voice

Leota Pfingsten was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Delta Kappa, Capitan Teachers Association, Southeastern New Mexico Education Association, National Education Association, Friends of Lincoln County Museum, the PEO sisterhood, and Daughters of the American Revolution. She held local and statewide offices in many of these organizations. She was inducted into the NEANew Mexico Southwest District Hall of Fame and was twice named Teacher of the Year by the Capitan Teachers Association
Mrs. Pfingsten was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Peg, her brother Harold Wright Bradford, and sisters Lou Ellen Bradford Vance, Euna Bradford Putney, and Freddie Lee Bradford Nickles.

She is survived by a bountiful number of nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, and great grand nieces and nephews. And by her long time caregiver and friend Sara Gutierrez and her children Martin and Monica and Monicas husband Jamie.

Leota absolutely enjoyed life in all its diversity. She was a happy person everywhere she lived and in all that she did. In addition to her community service and wood carving, Leota enjoyed making dry arrangements, writing poetry, carnival glass, travel, hiking and rock collecting.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Leota Pfingsten Memorial Scholarship Fund in support of outstanding students focusing on music in Capitan Schools. Send contributions to, Leota Pfingsten Memorial Scholarship, PO Box 8, Capitan, NM 88316.

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