Suzanne Bennefield, age 67 of Des Moines, New Mexico, passed peacefully from this world on Monday, September 25, 2023 in Colorado Springs, Colorado after a battle with cancer.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 7, 2023, at the Des Moines School Gymnasium in Des Moines, New Mexico with Rev. Ran Loy, officiating. Burial will follow in the Des Moines Cemetery by Hass Funeral Directors of Clayton, New Mexico. There will be a celebration of life and reception for the family immediately afterwards at the Des Moines School Cafeteria.

Suzanne was born on June 30, 1956, at Miners Colfax hospital in Raton, New Mexico. She lived in New Mexico and Kansas before her parents, Vernon and Nona moved to Colorado Springs in 1960.

Suzanne married Ted Bennefield on May 6, 1982, and together they raised a blended family of four boys in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In 1994, Suzanne and Ted moved to Union County, New Mexico to the W Diamond L Ranch started by her grandparents A.F. and Bessie Willett. They helped Suzanne's mom Nona Arnett, with the ranch and Suzanne took over management when her mother's health declined.

In addition to running the ranch, Suzanne worked as the office manager and bookkeeper for Ted's construction business for 40 years.

In recent years, Suzanne served as assistant chief of the Rabbit Ear Volunteer Fire Department and as a poll worker during elections. For a number of years after moving to New Mexico, Suzanne was active in Lariat Cowbelles and supporting youth agriculture education through 4H and other programs.

Suzanne had a talent for creating art and loved gardening. She especially loved talking to and spending time with her grandkids. In that line she also liked to dote on the neighboring ranch kids and her "firehouse kids."

Encourage One Another! And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of
doing, but let us encourage one another. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

SURVIVORS:

HUSBAND: Ted Bennefield of Des Moines, New Mexico.

HER BROTHER: Kent Welch of Raton, New Mexico.

4 SONS: Ted Bennefield, III of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jeremy Cook of Des Moines, New Mexico, Michael Bennefield and his wife April of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Evan Cook and his wife Danielle of Mesa, Arizona.

6 GRANDKIDS: Ted Bennefield, IV of California, Zephiniah Torres of Lamar, Colorado, Michael Bennefield, II of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Logan Cook and Dylan Cook of Mesa, Arizona and Jayden Cook of Austin, Texas.

2 GREAT-GRANDKIDS

A NEWPHEW: Jim Welch and his wife Leslie of Mesa, Arizona.

2 NIECES: Samantha Rohwer and her husband John of Mesa, Arizona and Vicki Dustin and her husband Darren of Elberta, Utah.

And a cousin, Sabrina Christy, who she treated as a daughter, of Midland, Texas and several grand nieces and grand nephews.

MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make donations in her name to:

Rabbit Ear Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 430, Clayton, New Mexico 88415

or to:

Des Moines Senior Citizens Center, PO Box 127, Des Moines, New Mexico 88418.