Bob Wayne Inge December 11, 1934 ~ May 30, 2026 (age 91)

Funeral services for Bob Inge, 91, of Portales will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., June 6, 2026 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Rick Wilcher officiating.  Burial will be in the Portales Cemetery with Christopher Inge, Joshua Inge, Treyton West, Cade Standifer, Josh Hinderliter, Austin Wall and Hayden Inge serving as pallbearers.  Bobby Gresham, Terry Cone, Gayland Cowen, Wayne Corbin, Don Essary and Dale Miller will serve as honorary pallbearers.  Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to the Portales Senior Center, c/o City of Portales.  The family will receive guests at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6 to 8 PM.

Bobbie Wayne Inge, known to family and friends as Bob, was born Dec. 11, 1934 in Portales to the home of Carrie (McCasland) and Everett James Inge, and passed from this life in Portales on the evening of May 30, 2026.  Bob attended his first few years of elementary school at the Rogers school, and then when the school was closed, he finished his schooling in Portales.  He was a 1952 graduate of Portales High School, and participated in the winding of the Maypole.

Following graduation, he worked at various jobs locally until there was an opening at Mountain Bell Telephone Company. During the early years of his career, he was transferred several times around the state before finally coming back to the Portales office.  Bob was a telephone technician troubleshooting problems on the lines.  Among his varied duties, he looped the local radio station in to enable them to broadcast the sporting events for the high school and university.  Bob retired from the phone company in the early 1990’s.

On Feb. 14, 1953 he was married to Gloria Carter.  Their home was blessed with two sons and a daughter.  Bob loved music and was a particularly smooth dancer.  For several years he and Gloria were members of the local Cotillion club.  In addition, they danced at the Elks and Eagles Clubs, as well as the Portales Senior Center and any other opportunity that presented.  He and Gloria were members of a bowling league for several years.  He enjoyed playing games, and was partial to 42.  Other things that he enjoyed included hunting and fishing with family and friends.

Bob loved the agricultural life of farming and ranching.  He began as a boy working with his father, and continued throughout his lifetime.  He had an amazing ability to know the tiniest details of each one of his livestock.  That attention to detail carried over to managing his own health.  A number of years ago, he developed Diabetes, and he very meticulously managed his disease.

Gloria preceded him in death on Oct. 30, 2009.  On Dec. 30, 2011 his life was blessed with a second love when he married Lavern Standifer.  He and Lavern enjoyed more than 14 years of marriage before his death.

Bob is survived by his wife, Lavern; two sons, and daughters-in-law, Mike and Robin Inge and Rance and Emily Inge of Portales; a daughter-in-law, Karen (Mrs. Rick) Inge of Portales; ten grandchildren, Erin West, Joshua Wayne Inge, Christopher James Inge, Tyler and Khaeden Mehl, Kambry and Trey Butcher, Hayden and Delani Inge, Ethan and Taylor Inge, Austin Wall. Karen Inge and Kinsley Inge; 12 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.  In addition to his wife, Gloria, Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Karen Reed, a son, Rick Inge, a granddaughter, Lindsey Inge and an infant sister, Christine.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bob Wayne Inge, please visit our floral store.