Mares, John

John Mares, of Clovis, NM, passed away on April 13th in Lubbock, TX at UMC Hospital.
A memorial service will be held on April 22, 2022, at 10 a.m. at Steed Todd Funeral Home. Rosary will follow immediately after at (tbd). The family will then go to Fort Sumner for the Interment of Ashes.
John was born and raised in Fort Sumner, NM to Max and Rose Mares, on April 20, 1939. John met Ester Martinez before he joined the military while breaking horses and she was milking cows. John and Ester were married in Raton NM on Friday 13, October 1961. He joined the Air Force as an Aircraft Mechanic in 1959 and even had the opportunity to fly some of the aircraft he worked on. He retired from the military 1978 and became a Police Officer the same year for Clovis, NM. He became Detective in 1981 for the Sheriff’s Office in Clovis for 8 years, and later decided to go back to patrol to be a part of the D.A.R.E. program. In 1991 he became Chief of Police in Texico, NM. He retired from Chief of Police in 2013 then went to work at Marshall & Gattis Middle School as a Resource Officer for 6 years.
He spent his retirement fishing, riding his motorcycle, camping and spending time with his wife and their family.
John is preceded in death by his parents of Fort Sumner; his Aunt Stella of San Francisco, CA., and brother in-laws, Marty and Al Martinez of Santa, Fe, NM.
John is survived by his wife, Ester Mares; brothers, Danny (Rosemary) Mares, Ernest Mares, Jimmy (Aurora) Mares; sons, Fred Mares, Johnny Mares, Anthony Mares; daughter, Shelley Dudley; grandchildren, Ashley (Wesley) Suchomel, Little John (Michelle) Mares, Hannah Mares, Breielle (Dave) Williamson, Randon (Heather) Mares, Kaytana (Logan) Hartman, Meagan (Josh) Romero, Wesley Flores, Travis (Bree) Ralph and Celeste Southerland; great-grandchildren, Ashlynn, Weston, Jael Rae, Collin, Kayleigh, Karah, James, Zia, Kyler, Embrie, Nolan, Lacie’Anne, a set of twins on the way, and Jared.