James Lee Cathey

Graveside services for James Cathey, 85, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 PM, Tues., Jan. 5, 2020 in the Portales Cemetery with Rev. Zach Cathey officiating.  All of his grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers.

James Lee Cathey was born Aug. 8, 1935, in Obar, NM to the home of Jessie Mae (Bryce) and N. C. Cathey, and died Dec. 31, 2020 in Portales, NM.  James graduated from high school at Texline in 1953.  On Aug. 18, 1954, in Pep, NM he was married to Thyra Gray.  Shortly after their marriage, they moved to Reedley, CA along with his brother, Wendell, where he worked as a logger.  When they returned to Portales, he went to work at Sam Sanders Gravel Pit operating a front end loader.  Later he worked for K. Barnett Construction on a road building crew.  Before going to work at the REA in 1975, James worked as a car salesman at Bynum Motors, where he was recognized for his salesmanship.  He retired from the REA in 1997 after 21 years of service.

James enjoyed taking his family on camping and fishing trips when his children were at home.  He was an avid Green Bay Packers fan, but enjoyed watching just about anybody play football except the Dallas Cowboys.  After his retirement, he filled his time tinkering with small engines and lawn mowers in his shop.  He and his wife enjoyed going to garage sales and eating out at the local restaurants in Portales and Clovis.  For many years, James was a regular at all of the local coffee shops where he enjoyed visiting with his many friends.  He always had a fresh joke, and loved to make people laugh.  He had been in poor health since 2003.

He is survived by Thyra, his wife of more than 66 years of  their home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Donny and Debbie Cathey and Brian and Rene Cathey and a daughter, Le Ann McGee all of Portales; eight grandchildren, Jerrod (Jordan) Hardin, Kevin Hardin, Amber (Matt) Stokes, Zach (Tasha) Cathey, Eric (Sharon) Cathey, Tasha Cathey, Steven (Candice) Cathey and Nathan Cathey; a brother, Bob (Buna) Cathey of Pep, NM and a sister, May Ruth (Daniel) Caddell of Portales.  He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Matthew Brian Cathey who died in 1996.

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