Letha Mae (Moore) Dawdy

Letha Mae Moore Dawdy was born to Robert and Celia Moore on November 18, 1927 in Savanna, Oklahoma. She left this life on July 14 in Clovis, New Mexico. She attended Abilene Christian College in Texas and graduated with a degree in home economics education in 1949. She came to Carlsbad, New Mexico where her parents were living. She planned to stay for the summer and get a teaching job that fall, but she met Roy Lyndel Dawdy and fell in love. They were married on December 24, 1949 and she stayed in Carlsbad for the next 63 years.

Letha was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ. At Fox and Lake Church of Christ in Carlsbad, she taught first grade Sunday school students for nearly 25 years. She also taught girls’ classes and Ladies Bible Class for many years. She helped her husband as he served as deacon and elder through the years and also hosted many youth activities. One friend described her as “scurrying around the kitchen,” preparing food, whether at their home or at the church building. Through the years, she baked thousands of her famous brown sugar chocolate chip “Mama” cookies. Those cookies showed up at every youth event and on school lunch tables for years. She went on mission trips to several states and to Canada and India. She taught many students through World Bible School.  She also volunteered at Lakeview Christian Home in a variety of roles. 

Lyndel always planted a big garden and Letha was busy canning and freezing the produce to feed the family. She also would take produce to friends at church as well as to Lakeview Christian Home.  She sewed clothes for her family and created quilts for each child and grandchild. Over the years hundreds of children received hats and mittens she had knitted. She helped her husband build their house and was seen on a ladder painting or nailing shingles on the roof. She worked for many years as a substitute teacher for Carlsbad Schools.  When she retired from substitute teaching, she became a tutor for the HOST program through Carlsbad Schools to help students with their reading.  She enjoyed working with several middle school-aged students.

In 2012, she moved to Wheatfields Senior Living Community in Clovis, New Mexico. She was known for her friendly smile and wave.  After moving to Clovis, she attended the 16th and Pile Church of Christ and enjoyed making new friends there and participating in Ladies Bible Class and the Singles Group.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Lyndel, and one son, Ralph. She is survived by her daughter, Roberta Baxter and husband, Keith of Colorado Springs, CO; her son, Ken Dawdy and wife, Shelley of Aurora, CO; daughter-in-law, Jane Dawdy of Loveland, CO; and her daughter, Letha Jo Gaines and husband Gerald of Dora, NM. Her grandchildren include Eric Baxter and wife, Amanda; Kendra Ackerman and husband, Andrew; Kara Esteban and husband, Bert; Rachel O’Dell and husband, John; Russell Dawdy and wife, Elisa; Jolinda Mapp and husband, Mason; Laura Tracey and husband, Nate; Roy Gaines and wife, Katelyn; and Martha Mitchell and husband, Josh. She also was thrilled to have 13 great-grandchildren; William, Thomas and Matthew Baxter, Hayden Mitchell, Anders Ackerman, Elynna and Caslin Esteban, Royce and Brooklyn Dawdy, Jeremy and Macilynn Mapp and Lizzie and Emily Gaines.

A virtual service will be held on Friday, July 17 and a private family graveside service on Tuesday, July 21 in Carlsbad. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be sent to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, https://www.firehero.org/donate/ or to the New Mexico Christian Children’s Home in Portales, New Mexico https://nmcch.org/donate/

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