Graveside services for Wesley Bales, 79, of Portales, will be at 11:00 A.M., Thurs., April 26, 2018 in the Portales Cemetery with Rev. Brian Tabor officiating, assisted by Rev. Wesley McAfee. Hugh Frank, Scott Beevers, Rick Ledbetter, Richard Hardin, Mike Golden and Bill Walker will serve as pallbearers. The members of the Arch Baptist Church, the Portales High School Class of 1957 along with his family members and all his many loving friends and associates will be honorary pallbearers. The family will receive guests at the funeral home on Wednesday evening, April 25, 2018 from 6 to 8 PM.
Wesley Weldon Bales was born Sept. 18, 1938 in Portales to the home of Viola Ann (Lee) and Early Riley Bales and died April 20, 2018 in Clovis, NM. Wesley lived his entire lifetime in Roosevelt County. He graduated from Portales High School in 1957. While he was in high school, Wesley played basketball and ran track. He was also active in FFA. After graduation, Wesley attended Eastern New Mexico University. In the early 1960’s he was married to Ellen Baker. They had two children before her death in 1978. On Aug. 18, 1979 in Portales he was married to Jan Jones.
Wesley farmed in Roosevelt County for many years. During the past several years he had operated a sprinkler service and repair company for local farmers. For many years he was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Portales, where he served as a deacon. In 1981, he moved his membership to the Arch Baptist Church where he also served as a deacon. In addition to his church activities, Wesley was a volunteer fire fighter in Arch for a number of years. He also served on the Peanut Board and the Sweet Potato Association.
He is survived by his wife, Janice “Jan” Bales of Portales; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Wesley “Wes” and Kelly Bales of Defiance, OH and Aaron Bales of Portales; three daughters and a son-in-law, Deanna “Dee” and Jimmy White of Midwest City, OK, Julienne “Julie” Beevers of Portales and Nicole “Nikki” Frank of Clovis; four grandchildren, Riley White, Ellanna Bales, and Joshua and Shelli Beevers; three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Wilma Jean Rogers of Silver City, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his first wife, Ellen.
