Mary Blakely, long time resident of the Rogers community in Roosevelt County, passed away November 22, 2018. She was buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery November 26. She is preceded in death by her husband, Virgil, and granddaughter, Cara Blakley Smith. She is survived by her son, Duane Blakley and wife, Patricia of Hot Springs Village, AR; by a grandson, Christopher Blakley and wife, Carolyn of Baton Rouge, LA; and a great-granddaughter, Ashley Hopkins and husband, Trey of Southaven, MS.
She was born in San Jon, New Mexico in 1916. She attended Eastern New Mexico Junior College in Portales, NM where she met Virgil Blakley. They were married in 1935, and lived and worked on their farm for 72 years. They both served as Sunday School teachers in the Mt. Zion and Dora Baptist Churches for 40 plus years. She was currently a member of the Barcelona Road Baptist Church in Hot Springs Village, AR.
Before retiring in the 80’s, Mary was very active in local, state and national organizations, including Farm Bureau, National Extension Homemakers Council, and National Federation of Women’s Clubs among others, serving on boards and in elective offices from president down.
For several years she worked part time for the U. S. Department of Agriculture with a number of employees under her supervision. She received many honors for outstanding leadership from these organizations and from the governor of New Mexico.
