Obituary
A private, family only Mass of the Resurrection for Miguel G. Abarca, 94, of Portales, will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Tues., May 26, 2020 at St. Helen Catholic Church with Deacon Roberto Herrera officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Jesse Arbaca, David Arbaca, Manuel Abarca, Fernando Rubalcaba, David Abarca, Jr., and Steve Villanueva serving as pallbearers. All his grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Due the current limitations on large gatherings, the service and graveside committal will be live streamed as an accommodation to those who cannot attend in person. To view the service simply go to wheelermortuary.net, and click on Mr. Abarca’s obituary.
Miguel G. Abarca was born Jan. 5, 1926 in Ario De Rayon, Mexico to the home of Maria (Garcia) and Miguel Abarca, and died at his home west of Portales early on the morning of May 21, 2020. On May 23, 1943 in Ario De Rayon, Mexico, he was married to Ramona Solis. They came to the United States in 1956, and settled in Santee, CA where he began working in the dairy industry. Many people go to California to find their dreams, but in 1979, he left California and came to New Mexico to find his dream. In 1982 he started his own dairy in the Dora area. In 1984, they moved to their current home west of Portales where he ran his dairy until his retirement in 1999.
Mr. Abarca was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church. He enjoyed scratching Lotto tickets and playing the slot machines. His favorite casinos were found in Las Vegas, NV, Santa Fe, and Hobbs. In his early years he liked to play poker and go to the dog and horse races.
He is survived by Ramona, his wife of just two days short of 77 years; three sons and daughters-in-law, Jesse and Dyann Abarca of Portales, Manuel and Flora Abarca of LaQuinta, CA and David and Guadalupe Abarca of Portales; four daughters and sons-in-law, Juanita and Fernando Ruvalcaba of Clovis, NM, Socorro and Jorge Ochoa of Portales, Ramona and Alfredo Garcia of Oklahoma City, OK and Sandra and Steve Villanueva of Portales; a daughter-in-law, Gina (Mrs. Miguel III) Abarca of Wilcox, AZ; 32 grandchildren, 71 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Luis Abarca of Ramona, CA and Francisco Abarca of Bonita, CA; three sisters, Guadalupe Bueno of Chula Vista, CA, Esperanza Alvarez of Temecula, CA and Maria Garcia of San Ysidro, CA; as well as a number of nieces and nephews and other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Alfredo Abarca and Jesus Abarca and by a son, Miguel Abarca III and a daughter and son-in-law, Maria Luisa and Richard Byrd.
