Lorenzo Garza Banda, Jr. September 22, 1954 ~ August 2, 2023 (age 68)

Funeral services for Lorenzo Garza “Larry” Banda, Jr., 68, of Portales, will be held at 2:00 P.M., on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Brad Morgan officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Dustin Davis, Eddie Privett, Brad Cissel, Eduardo Ruiz, Lucas Banda and Daniel Stephens serving as pallbearers.  All of his friends will be honorary pallbearers.

Lorenzo Garza “Larry” Banda, Jr. was born on September 22, 1954, in Hastings, Michigan, to the home of Carmen (Garcia) and Lorenzo Garza Banda, and died on August 2, 2023, Lubbock, Texas.

Larry moved from Michigan and lived in Taft, and Maple, TX,, and Causey, NM before moving to Portales in 1968.  He lived in Albuquerque from about 1991 to 2000, when he moved back to Portales.  After his graduation from Portales High School in 1972 Larry joined the United States Navy, and later served in the National Guard.  Through the years he had worked at a number of different jobs.  At different times he worked for Roosevelt County, worked silage harvest, and at various construction jobs.  It was in Albuquerque on March 23, 1996 that he was married to Aydee Bustillos.

Larry enjoyed cooking and loved his morning coffee and cookies.  He was the number one phonebook in Portales.  It seemed he knew everyone in town.  Anyone could call him anytime and he knew the number.  He was one of the three or four old grouches in Portales.  One of his favorite things to do was to just bug and tease people.  He was a devoted father and grandfather, and never missed one of kids or grandkids ballgames.  He was especially proud of each of his grandchildren.

Larry is survived by his wife, Aydee Banda of the home; four sons and two daughters-in-law, Larry and Mindy Banda of Portales, Lorenzo Banda, III and Crystal of Albuquerque, Ed Banda of Portales and Mark Banda of Tulsa, OK; three daughters and a sons-in-law, Julie and Rod Stone of Lawton, OK, Franchesca Banda of Monroe, WA, and Thanya Banda of Amarillo, TX; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Meno and Beth Banda of Lynchburg, VA, Mateo and Rhonda Banda of Lubbock, TX and David and Amy Banda of Beeville, TX; five sisters and three brothers-in-law, Margie and Phillip Weden of Borger, TX, Diane and Mario Hernandez of Portales, Janie Buchner of Lansing, MI, Cindy Ramirez of Beeville, TX and Paulita and Harold Stephens of Arch,NM; fifteen grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by both of his parents.

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