Clara Maples Obituary
Memorial services for Clara Mae Maples, 84, of Portales will be announced at a later time.
Clara Mae Maples was born Dec. 31, 1941, in Hot Springs, NM to the home of Flora Bell (Clapp) and Charlie David Lewis, and passed from this life on Mar. 30, 2026 in Clovis, NM. Mrs. Maples lived her early years in the Weed community, and graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1958. She attended Eastern New Mexico University where she earned a degree in Accounting. Following college, she moved to Hagerman, NM where she was married to Sonny Mitchell. While living there she wrote short stories for the Western Horseman magazine. She later moved to Roswell where she married Thurmon Eldon Maples on April 3, 1983. For a number of years she made her home in Alamogordo, NM. While living in Alamogordo she was employed at the Presto Cookware plant. At different times she had worked as a cook in restaurants in Alamogordo as well as in Roswell.
After moving to Portales she made her home with her daughter. While living her in Portales, Mrs. Maples worked at K C Express until her retirement about ten years ago. Mrs. Maples enjoyed crocheting and sewing. She also loved her puppies. Mrs. Maples attended Calvary Baptist Church.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Elva and Christopher Sims of Portales; two sons, John Mitchell of Stanton, TX and Jim Mitchell and his wife, Holly of Albuquerque, NM; a granddaughter, T-Shawna Mitchell and a grandson, Chance Mitchell as well as numerous other “grandchildren.” She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Charlie and three sisters, Betty, Toni and Helen.
