Gary Claude Modrall

Funeral services for Gary Modrall, 79, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Fri., Feb. 27, 2026, in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rick Kenyon and Randy Dunson officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Bobby Gresham, Shane Lee, Jim Moore, Mike Woolley, Lanny Gresham, Bill Roberts, Wayne Richardson and Tommy Williams serving as pallbearers.  Roy Custer along with the members of the Sandhill Country Band will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Gary Claude Modrall was born Oct. 4, 1946, in Clovis to the home of Elizabeth “Alta” (Turner) and Claude A. Modrall, and passed from this life early on the morning of Feb. 25, 2026, at his home in Portales.  Gary was a 1964 graduate of Portales High School.  He farmed and ranched southwest of Portales his entire adult lifetime.  On April 17, 1981, he was married to Rita Busby.  Together, they were members of the Third and Kilgore Church of Christ.

Music was a very important part of Gary’s life.  He played the guitar at the Floyd Jamboree for more than forty years.  In addition, he played in various jamborees in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.  Several years ago, he and several friends formed the Sandhill Country Band.  Together, they played at the local rest home on a regular basis, as well as for the Senior Citizen dances and various other functions.

He is survived by Rita, his wife of more than 44 years; his son, McCabe Mayo of Aztec, NM; two granddaughters, Trinity Mayo of Weatherford, OK and Madison Mayo of Oklahoma City, OK; a great-granddaughter, Amara Wells; his only sister, Laveta Patterson of Portales; a niece, Martha (Scott) Buchanan of Sundown, TX and a nephew, Thad (Rhonda) Patterson of Amarillo, TX.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Alta and Claude Modrall.

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