Official Obituary of Alice “Mickey” Rosemary (Gilliam) Zachry-Thetford April 30, 1935 ~ May 24, 2024 (age 89)

Mickey passed away peacefully on May 24th, 2024 at the age of 89. She was born on April 30th, 1935 in Hooven, Ohio to Marion and Lillian Gilliam. She attended Denton High School in Denton, Texas. She met her husband Bill Zachry in Denton while attending Texas Women’s University. They married in Houston, Texas on July 16th, 1954. They later moved to Portales, New Mexico in 1969 where she became the first in her family to receive a college degree when she graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. They had two sons, Chris and Alan Zachry. She worked as a revenue agent for the New Mexico Internal Revenue Service until her retirement. After the death of her husband Bill, Mickey was fortunate to find love again and married Rodney Thetford on October 13th, 2013. Together they were active members of the community Senior Center where they enjoyed dancing and playing pool.

Mickey enjoyed quilting, reading, shopping, watching crime TV shows, getting her nails done, playing cards, and spending time with her family.

Mickey is preceded in death by her husband, Bill Zachry; parents, Marion and Lillian Gilliam; brothers, George, Red, Candy, and Petey; and sisters, Joyce, Lillian, and Bobbie. She is survived by her husband Rodney Thetford; sons Christopher Zachry and wife Tina of Burleson, TX; Alan Zachry and wife Tina of Portales, NM; sister Betty Haughton and husband Jerry of Denton, TX; grandchildren, Thomas, Douglas, and Shaina Zachry; great-grandchildren, Aiden Zachry, Colby, London, and Silas Boyd; and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside funeral service will be held at 10:00am on Saturday, June 1st at the Portales Cemetery, 1208 E Third St, Portales, NM 88130. Visitation will be available at Wheeler Mortuary both Thursday and Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 8:00pm. The family will be available for greeting on Friday, May 31st from 6:00 to 8:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association in Mickey’s honor.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Alice “Mickey” Rosemary (Gilliam) Zachry-Thetford, please visit our floral store.