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Living Treasures by Name
Photos by Jim Gautier, Robert Thomsen, and Jim O'Donnell

Margaret Ann "Marge" Cole Agnew

Spring 2006

Long-time resident, music teacher, and musician...

Nancy and John Bartlit

Spring 2012

Authors, advocates for the environment and local history, and Nancy a three-time County Councilor...

George Best *

Spring 2018

Personable volunteer at many places, even at age 100 years...

Mary Brooks *

Fall 2010

Engineer and volunteer with many, varied interests...

John Francis Buchen *

Fall 2006

A true volunteer servant of community projects for 50 years...

Linda Foard Burns*

Spring 2020

A tireless volunteer dedicated to food distribution to the needy...

Don Casperson

Spring 2020

Roller skating champion, young persons advocate, consumate Kiwanis member...

Marjorie Chambers *

Spring 2003

Early Los Alamos historian, County Councilor, and much more...

George Arthur Cowan *

Fall 2003

Arrived in 1945, served on many early boards in Los Alamos and some in Santa Fe...

William E. Deal, Jr.*

Fall 2010

Forty-year resident who channeled his free time to make contributions that built and enhanced Los Alamos...

Lois Eddleman *

Spring 2020

Active volunteer for scouts, 4-H, the County Fair, and the County Extension Service...

Denny Erickson

Spring 2019

Strong volunteer leader who spearheaded history, commerial, and residential planning projects...

Teralene Foxx

Spring 2014

Artist, author, naturalist, enviromental educator, storyteller, and more...

Marge Gillespie *

Fall 2002

"The Christmas Lady" who organized food and gift for hundreds of needy families at Christmas...

Martin Gursky *

Spring 2003

Advocate for community improvements in Los Alamos, two-term County Commissioner, leader of senior organizations...

Dorothy Hoard *

Spring 2003

Author, artist, outdoor enthusiast, historical researcher, enviromental educator...

John C. Hopkins

Spring 2008

Advocate for better government, a founder of Leadership Los Alamos, proponent for open government and citizen input...

Beverly Keenan *

Spring 2000

Church volunteer, blood drive organizer, radio station personality...

Betty Lilienthal *

Spring 1999

Long-time community leader with braod interests ranging from theather to opera to petroglyphs...

Jose Benjamin Lujan *

Spring 2005

Long-time resident, firefighter, musician, Civatan, blood drive proponent...

Lawry Webb* and Alice Robles Mann*

Spring 2009

Community leaders, Alice a floral arranger, Lawry a County Councilor and force behind inviting Sarov, Russia, to be a sister city...

KokHeung McNaughton

Fall 2022

Master gardener, passionate about social justice and sustainable living, advocate for pollinators and more...

Gene F. Mortensen*

Spring 2014

Athletic coach, Little League organizer, high school team sports announcer, "Voice of the Toppers"...

Mary Jeanne Nilsson *

Fall 1999

Wartime teacher, United Church leader, helped establish the Memorial Rose Garden, and more...

Mary Penland *

Spring 2002

Long-time teacher, Los Alamos Schools historian, founding member of Los Alamos Retired Seniors Organizaion...

Morris (Morrie) B. Pongratz

Spring 2011

Deeply committed to the youth of Los Alamos, coach, sports announcer, youth projects organizer, County Councilor...

Frances Nelson Rogers *

Spring 2007

Volunteer for a sweeping variety of health causes, leader of Medical Center Lobby Shop, and more...

Marguerite Elizabeth Schreiber *

Spring 2007

Wartime resident, early school board member, Charter Committee member, scout leader, and more...

Sidney Singer *

Spring 2006

Community activist, County Councilor, recipient of NM Distinguished Public Service Award, and more...

Jeanne Stein *

Spring 2001

Actor and director for productions at the Little Theater, a distinctive voice featured in exhibits at the Bradbury Science Museum...

Sen. Stephen Stoddard *

Spring 2000

Purple Heart recipient in the Battle of the Bulge, New Mexico State Senator, advocate for the Valles Caldera National Preserve, and more...

Charles "Chuck" Tallman

Spring 2016

Rotary president (along with every other leadership position), high baritone in the Choral Society and Lads of Enchantment, and more...

Mary Pettitt Venable

Fall 2000

Long-time, well-known resident, generous donor, volunteer for promoting Los Alamos, the library, the senior center, and more...

Jacob Wechsler *

Spring 2001

Wartime resident, early builder of the ski area, Kiwanis champion, and other service that spans the town's history...

Elizabeth Ann Aiello *

Fall 2003

Twice honored as one of the Outstanding Women of New Mexico for her work with Women in Science Reentry Program...

Edwin Bemis *

Fall 2001

Leader of the Family YMCA, choral society, and more...

Jerry Bower *

Spring 2004

Alzheimer's care advocate, senior center champion...

Joann Smith Brown

Spring 2017

An embodiment of true community spirit, musician, and compassionate advocate for cancer support...

Carl Buckland *

Spring 2004

An early volunteer at the ski hill and continual volunteer for many community organizations...

Jeanne Butler*

Fall 2012

Energetic volunteer who was "was phoning, delivering, dropping off"...

Louie Cernicek *

Spring 2000

"Most distinguished citizen" of his Czech hometown, important soccer coach in Los Alamos, and more...

Jack Clifford

Spring 2008

White Rock photographer, senior center leader, and 70-year resident...

Loring Cox*

Spring 2015

WWII bombardier, early Los Alamos houring specialist, and devotee to Casa Mesita...

Bert and Ramona "Mona" Dennis

Fall 2005

Long-time volunteers serving scouts, Habitat for Humanity, the Hospital Auxillary and more...

John Daniel Elliott *

Fall 2004

Photographer who captured Lab history and the history of the town...

Alice * and Foster * Evans

Spring 1999

Actors, creators of the Don Juan Theatre, teachers, and Foster a NM State Representative...

Rosmarie Frederickson

Spring 2013

Long-time volunteer for schools, Red Cross, LA Cares, the League of Women Voters and more...

Aaron Goldman *

Spring 2004

A long-distance runner who helped with prison ministry, LA Cares, and establishing the annual Jemez Mountains Trail Runs...

Thelma Moore Hahn

Fall 2006

Art teacher, proponent of the Empty Bowls Project, school board member, Visiting Nurse volunteer...

Laurence Martin Holland *

Spring 2009

Leader of the Retirement Community Board, Aspen Ridge proponent, County Councilor...

Roy N. Hopwood*

Fall 2010

Long-time volunteer for County boards, the golf course, Pajarito Ski Area, Casa Mesita and more...

Charles (Chick) Keller

Spring 2017

Plant expert, protector of nature, nature center organizer, conservationist...

James Drew "Jim" Little

Fall 2006

Tireless volunteer leader involved in prison ministries, Self Help, Family Council, Lions, and more...

Edward N. Macmann*

Spring 2012

Wartime resident, trumpeter, big band member, supporter of student musicians...

Nina Marsh *

Fall 2000

Nurse, musician, health advocate, tennis player, member of Family Council, Visiting Nurses, and more...

John Mench *

Fall 2000

Wartime resident, director of more than 100 Little Theater and Light Opera productions, drama teacher... 

Jean Nereson*

Spring 2004

One of the first teachers in wartime Los Alamos, taught for 50 years, Los Alamos Teacher of the Year in 1995...

Rosemary O'Connor *

Spring 2012

Long-time resident, musician, helped establish the Los Alamos Symphony, swimming instructor and more...

Lou Pierotti *

Fall 1999

Founder and leader of "Pierotti's Clowns," an amatuear five-man softball team that raised more than $200,000 for charity...

Rick L. Reiss

2024

Volunteer of boundless energy with a wide variety of community-based interests...

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Louis G. Rojas *

Spring 2002

County Sheriff for 34 years, escorted President Kennedy on his visit to Los Alamos, well-known figure about town...

Guadalupe Sena *

Fall 2001

Long-time teacher, medical center volunteer, leader of local chapter of American Association of Retired Persons...

Sharon Snyder

Fall 2022

Author, teacher, historian,  tireless volunteer supporting Los Alamos history and the Los Alamos Historical Society...

Natali Steinberg

2024

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Virginia Stovall *

Fall 1999

Stained glass artist, church volunteer, organizer of childrens' relief donations for northern New Mexico, and more...

L. Dick Tatro

Fall 2012

Tireless volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, Visiting Nurses, the Senior Center, with a special knack for building things...

Selvi Viswanathan

Spring 2016

Always dressed in a colorful sari, passionate about educating others about her native India, creator of wildlife gardens, and more...

Ruth Williamson

Spring 2018

Musician, dedicated to bringing music therapy to those in need, concert promotor and performer, hospice volunteer, and more...

Winifred Amsden *

Spring 1999

Advocate for senior citizens, helped establish Sombrillo Nursing Facility, philanthropist, and more...

Robert "Bob" Benjamin

Spring 2019

Playwright often focused on aging and caregiving...

Nona Bowman*

Spring 2016

With boundless energy, served many organizations and the County Council...

Margaret Browne *

Spring 2001

Mental health and family services advocate and member of the NM Women's Hall of Fame...

Lee A. Builta

Spring 2013

Master gardner specializing in roses helping to beautify many locations around town...

Barbara Calef

2023

Unshakable devotee to fair government and protecting Los Alamos open space...

William (Bill) H. Chambers*

Spring 2011

Longtime volunteer at the United Church and the Los Alamos Ski Club, flight instructor...

Don Cobb

2023

Leader always working for the "greater good," co-founder of Los Alamos Community Foundation, and more...

Joel Dahlby

Spring 2019

Thirty-year volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, LA Cares, and more...

Joseph James Devaney *

Fall 2003

Pilot, hiker, anti-smog advocate, namesake of half the Devaney-Longmire Trail...

Robert Emigh *

Spring 2015

Outdoor enthusiast involved with Boy Scouts for 50 years, and who championed the Jemez House Boys Ranch...

Joyce Eyster *

Spring 2015

"The Cookie Lady" catered town functions, helped the Medical Center's Pink Ladies, and always has home-baked cookies at hand...

J. Arthur Freed *

Spring 2017

A "Los Alamos Essential Someone" who worked behind the scenes for so many community organizations...

Edward R. Grilly *

Fall 2002

Long-time volunteer for United Way, Kiwanis, the LA Golf Association, and two-term New Mexico State Representative,..

Edward Frederic Hammel *

Fall 2002

Wartime resident, volunteer to library, school, UNM-LA, medical center boards and more...

Dale Holm *

Spring 2009

A generalist by inclination, photographer, historian, outdoor enthusiast, ballroom dancer...

William A. "Bill" and Maureen * Hudson

Fall 2005

Athletes, Maureen on ice skates, Bill in many fields, coaches, and recreation teachers...

Douglas * and Ruth Helmick Lier

Fall 2012

Tireless volunteers devoted to scouts, the Ski Club, Art in Public Places, the 4th of July parade and more...

Milton "Glenn" Lockhart *

Spring 2006

Big volunteer for Restired Seniro Volunteer Program, senior advocate, guitarist...

Donald MacMillan *

Spring 2002

Wartime resident, ice skater, town council leader, mental health advocate...

Craig Martin

Spring 2013

Author, musician, trail builder, volunteer coordinator for forest rehabilitation after the Cerro Grande fire...

Patricia Dodd Winter Mendius*

Spring 2005

Long-time resident, teacher, library advocate, supporter of art in public places and the concert association...

Joyce W. Nickols

2023

Hands-on person volunteering with the Unitarian Church, in politics, for PEEC, and much more... 

Ralph E. Partridge *

Spring 2008

Fixture at philosophical discussion at the Senior Center, early advocate for computer instruction, and more...

Cheryl Pongratz

Spring 2018

Behind the scenes volunteer, educator, leader of Family Council, and member of countless boards...

Glenn Rigg *

Fall 2001

Artist, horseback rider, square dancer (even on horseback), one of the builders of the Posse Shack...

Bernard Ryan *

Fall 1999

Founding member of and pitcher for "Pierotti's Clowns," advocate for Alcoholics Anonymous, and more...

Rebecca "Becky" Shankland

Spring 2007

Volunteer and businessman, County Councilor, recipient of many local and state leadership awards...

Patrick D. Soran

Fall 2022

Generous supporter of community improvement with his time and resources, Lunch Buddy, "chief pyrotechnic" for July fireworks, and more...

John N Stewart

Spring 2014

Scout leader, Aquatomics volunteer, lighting director for the Little Theater, and more member for many community organizations...

Stephanie Sydoriak *

Spring 2011

Poet, musician, piano teacher, 100% Ukrainian and 100% American, storyteller who enlivened life in Los Alamos...

David Browning Thomson *

Spring 2005

Dedicated to promoting effectives arms control at work and as a volunteer, a member of the Charter Commission, and more...

Bill Wadt

2024

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Mary Zemach*

Fall 2004

Known for her permaculture garden in Los Alamos, early sustainability advocate, leader of Jemez House Group Home, and more...

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