Funeral services and memorials

MARGARET MACON VAN BRUNT RYMAR 1924 - 2018

Margaret Macon Van Brunt Rymar, of Santa Fe, NM died on March 3, 2018 at the age of 93.

Margaret, born in Kansas City, Missouri on August 8, 1924, was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Julian Wencel Rymar and was the only child of Grace Wilson and John Van Brunt.

She attended Notre Dame De Sion, The Hockaday School, and graduated from Belton High School in Belton Mo. Margaret earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College. On December 11, 1954 she and Lt. Commander Julian Rymar, USNR, were married by the Rt. Rev Robert Nelson Spencer, the Retired Episcopal Bishop of West Missouri, at the family home.

Margaret’s family was responsible for many historical landmarks in the Kansas City area. Her great uncle, Adriance Van Brunt, was a member of the First Park Board of Kansas City, Missouri. He is the man for whom Van Brunt Boulevard was named. Her grandfather, John Van Brunt, a brother of Adriance, was also a prominent Kansas City Architect. The Kansas City, Missouri Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded her grandmother, Hope Casey Van Brunt a silver service for marking the Santa Fe Trail from Arrowrock, MO to the Missouri state line. Margaret was also a member of the Colonial Dames of Missouri.

Her maternal great-grandfather, George W. Scott founded the city of Belton, Mo. Her maternal grandfather, Robert Cowan Wilson, was a banker and a prominent breeder of Anxiety IV Herefords. Her mother, Grace Wilson Van Brunt, was the founder of the Grace Company, a once famous company in Belton, known for its original children’s clothing. Margaret later became President of the Grace Company.

In Kansas City, MO, Margaret belonged to the Junior League and served at the Nelson-Atkins Gallery as Selections Chairman for the Board of Governors of the Friends of Art and as Assistant to the Director of the Education Department in charge of Docents. She was also appointed to the Kansas City Arts Commission by then Mayor Illus Davis. She also served as a Trustee at The Sunset Hill School.

Margaret was a member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where she served on the Altar Guild. She designed a complete set of Liturgical Vestments for St. Paul’s Church to be used for the new Liturgy.

Both Margaret and Julian became active members of the Holy Faith Episcopal Church when they moved to Santa Fe in 1989. With a lifelong passion for reading, Margaret worked in the Church Library for many years.

She and Julian have three daughters: Ann Rymar Johnson, wife of Bradford McClure Johnson of Shawnee Mission Kansas, Gracen Rymar Fraser wife of Gary Galante of New Rochelle, NY and Gibson Rymar Wilkes wife of Blake Wilkes of Falmouth, Maine and six grandchildren; Allie Wilkes Matthews wife of Walker Matthews of Portland ME, Caroline Wilkes Nealy wife of Mark Nealey of Seattle, WA, Nick Fraser of Montclair NJ, Emily Fraser of New Rochelle NY, Maren Johnson and Ford Johnson both of Shawnee Mission, KS and "special Swiss daughter" Magrit Vettiger of Forch Switzerland.

Margaret is also survived by Brigadier General Richard Taylor Drury of Lakeway, Texas, Suzanne Seyfried of Salt Lake City Utah, Sue Scott Eversull of Shawnee Mission, Ks.

Margaret’s Family would like to express our immense gratitude to Margaret’s loving and devoted caregivers; Patty Swartz, Rocio Rodriguez, Ruth Chavez, Mary Louise Sanchez and Celina Maez. Margaret always referred to them as her Santa Fe Family and she loved them dearly.

A Mass of the Resurrection in Celebration of Margaret’s life will be held at Holy Faith Church of Santa Fe on Monday March 12 at 11:00 am. Burial will be at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM.

FLOY AGNES NARANJO LEE JULY 23, 1922 - MARCH 6, 2018

Floy Agnes Naranjo Lee, 95, died peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at her home at Kingston Residence, Santa Fe, NM.

A member of Santa Clara Pueblo, she was the granddaughter of Francisco and Katalina Naranjo, and daughter of Severiano F. Naranjo and Floy Maisie Summit Naranjo, who were teachers at the Albuquerque Indian School where Aggie was born. She was their fourth child and was predeceased by her brothers, Frank Naranjo and Mark Naranjo, and her sisters, Kathryn Elston and Rose Clark. She was also predeceased by her husbands, Clyde P. Stroud, John J. Schmink, and William P. Lee. Aggie is survived by her daughter Patricia Stroud Reifel, son-in-law Robert D. Reifel, grandson Sam W. Reifel, granddaughter Peggy M. Reifel and many Santa Clara cousins, nieces and nephews.

Aggie graduated from the University of New Mexico with a BS in Biology in 1945. In her first "real" job, she worked at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project as a hematology technician. When WWII was over, she entered the University of Chicago for graduate school, where she met and married Clyde Stroud. Their daughter, Patricia, was born there. Clyde soon died of cancer and after a few years, Aggie returned to the U of C to finish her Ph.D. in zoology, which was awarded in 1966.

From 1946 until 1979, she pursued a career in radiation biology and cytogenetics, specializing in cancer research and advancing the science of tissue culture and chromosome analysis. In the 1960’s she pioneered a method of computer analysis of chromosomes, using an electron microscope and a computer as big as a large room.

She worked at the Argonne National Laboratory, first housed at the University of Chicago and then in Lemont, IL; later served as director of the Department of Tissue Culture at the Pasadena Foundation for Medical Research; was a senior scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA; and returned to Los Alamos to be a radiobiologist in the Lab’s Mammalian Biology Group.

She was a founding member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, an early member of the Tissue Culture Association, and a member of the International Society for Cell Biology, among other scientific associations.

Aggie retired to Belen, NM, with her husband John Schmink and became an avid golfer. She was very proud of hitting a hole-inone even as she lost her eyesight to macular degeneration. She also found time to pursue art and made many beautiful paintings. She and husband Bill Lee moved to Rio Rancho, NM in the 1990’s, where they lived until Aggie moved to Kingston Residence in Santa Fe, NM in 2013.

Aggie’s generous nature and gentle manner endeared her to many everywhere she lived.

The family will offer a celebration of Aggie’s life at her cousin Clara Stone’s former home at 379 Flower Rd., Santa Clara Pueblo on Saturday, March 10, 2018 from 11-3.

LEROY I. MARTINEZ 1944 - 2018

Leroy I Martinez went peacefully March 4, 2018, to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Leroy was born in Santa Fe November 5, 1944. After a short illness and an amazing journey in life he joins his parents Alfonso and Mary Martinez and relatives who preceded him in death. He is survived by his close friends, his former wife Irene, Buddy, Michael and Melissa Roybal, Rudy and Georgia Rodriguez; and many friends and relatives. Leroy graduated from St Michaels HS; received his BA from the College of Santa Fe; MA from the University of Northern Colorado. He began his professional career as Head Start Program Director for Santa Fe County; taught High School Special Education at Albuquerque and Santa Fe public schools; was a Vocational Counselor with the State of NM, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and retired as an Administrator with the Department of Licensing and Regulations. He will be remembered for his joy of reading, hiking, journaling, and spending quiet time in the Word of God. He wanted all who knew him to rejoice in his going home. A graveside service will take place at Rosario Cemetery Monday, March 12, 2018, at 1 PM.