Wayne Small

Funeral services for Jessie Wayne Small, 75, of Portales will be held at 2:00 PM, Fri., Feb. 5, 2021 at the Central Christian Church in Portales with Pastor Don Thomas officiating assisted by Rev. Cheston Fair.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Kelly Russell, Alan Carter, Duke Kirkland, Rocky Marks, Andy Fair and Roger Sink serving as pallbearers.  John Arreallano, Charlie Howard Lewis, Barry Green, Randy Mitchell, Jesse Laman and Teddy Fry as well as all of the many 4-H, FFA and Little Wranglers kids that he mentored will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Jessie Wayne Small was born Feb. 8, 1945 in Portales, to the home of Lou Vera (Terry) and Benjamin Edward Small and died early on the morning of Feb. 1, 2021 in Lubbock, TX.  Mr. Small grew up in Portales, but transferred to Dora for his senior year, graduating in 1963.  On Aug. 23, 1964 in Muleshoe, TX he was married to Rita Ruth Oldham.  He worked nearly his entire adult life as a meat cutter.  During those years he was employed by a number of local grocery stores as well as in Tulia and Clovis.  For several years he owned and operated a custom slaughter house and meat packing business in Clovis.  Mr. Small retired in 2010.  Wayne always enjoyed tinkering with things and building odds and ends.  His specialties were smokers and chili roasters.

During the time his children were growing up, he worked helping with Little Wranglers, and FFA and 4-H.  Wayne loved horses and dogs, and did some horse trading.  He had a green thumb, and enjoyed raising beautiful flowers.  He was a member of the Church of Christ.

He is survived by Rita, his wife of more than 56 years of their home; a daughter and son-in-law, Pam and Lloyd Hemphill of Harrison, AR; two sons and daughters-in-law, Randy and Jana Small and Brent and Jessica Small of Portales; five "bonus daughters," Bonnie Sink of Clovis, NM, Shawna and Kelly Russell of Clovis, NM, Brenda and John Grimlan-Druke of Catalina, AZ and Tammy and David Payton of Lubbock, TX, Shawn Carter and husband Allan of Portales; seven grandchildren, Mindy Hemphill, Mark (Tanya) Hemphill, Matthew Hemphill, Cody (Jamie) Small, Trenton Small, Aiden Small and Corte Small; eight great-grandchildren and another one expected soon; a brother, Clinton Small of Marietta, GA; and a brother-in-law, C. W. Reid of CO.  He was preceded in death by both of his parents, four brothers, Nathan, Ernest, and Houghton Small as well as by James who died as a young child; and four sisters, Jennie Vee Stanley, Bennie Lu Reid, Virginia Minier, and Frances Taylor.

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