Gail (Bennett) Patton

Funeral services for Gail Patton, 76, of Dexter, NM will be held at 2:00 PM, Thurs., Dec. 30, 2021 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with her nephew, Clay Ivey officiating.  Burial will follow in the Long's Cemetery with Jason Bennett, Clay Ivey, Gavin Nash, Richard Rubio, Dominic Bejarano and Joshua Brooks serving as pallbearers.  Brack Bullock, Brad Bullock, Allen Ivey and Duwain Bullock will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Vivian Gail Patton, known to virtually everyone as Gail, was born Jan. 21, 1945 in Portales to the home of Tommy Pauline (Haislip) and Charles Davis Bennett, and died Dec. 26, 2021 at her home in Dexter.  Mrs. Patton grew up on the family ranch in the Causey community.  She was a 1963 graduate of Causey High School where she played on the volleyball team.  She went on to attend Eastern New Mexico University, and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business.  On May 4, 1974 in Roy, NM, she was married to Howard Ray "Cotton" Patton.  They made their home in Dumas, TX until 1976, when they relocated to Dexter where she lived for the remainder of her lifetime.

In addition to being very involved in the lives of her family, she also worked outside of her home.  For a time she was employed at Valley Bank.  In 1988, Mrs. Patton became a partner in Castle Rentals, a furniture rent to own business, in Artesia.  Since 2003, she had been the sole owner.  She was very active in the community in Artesia, participating in the Chamber of Commerce, providing meals to needy families at Thanksgiving, and buying gifts for the Angel Tree program.

Mrs. Patton was a great support for her children and grandchildren in their various activities.  Her granddaughter was the ballet dancer that she had always wanted.  Her grandson played baseball and more recently races dirt bikes.  No matter the activity, she was there to support.  She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Roswell.

She is survived by Cotton Patton, her husband of more than 47 years of their home; her son, Chad Lance Patton of the home; her daughter, Shaya Brooks of Roswell; three grandchildren, Lexi Patton of Lubbock, TX, Joshua Brooks of Roswell and Kylee Camp of Roswell; her brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Beverly Bennett of Portales; and three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Patricia and Duwain Bullock of Roswell, Phyllis and Allen Ivey of Roy, NM and Sue Nash of Portales.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Tommy Bennett.

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