Van Alex Nation May 22, 1961 ~ May 5, 2025 (age 63)

Funeral services for Van Nation, 63, of Portales will be held at 2:00 PM, Sat., May 17, 2025 at the Calvary Baptist Church with Rev. Ben Pritchett officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Matthew Johnson, Dave Lortie, Reed Nation and Mason Pritchett serving as pallbearers.

Van Alex Nation was born May 22, 1961 in Fullerton, CA to the home of Juanita Louise (Jones) and William Edgar Nation and passed from this life on the morning of May 5, 2025 at his home.  Van grew up in Canyon Lake, CA where he enjoyed water sports and riding his dirt bike.  He actually began two of his skills as a five year old boy.  He began learning to ski on a 24 aqua board and graduated to skis.  From then on he was either water skiing or riding his dirt bike every chance he had.  Also at the age of five, he began playing pool, a skill he developed and used for the rest of his life.

In July of 1980 he enlisted in the US Air Force, and served until Sept. of 1999.  During that time he was an airplane mechanic, and was actually honored to have his name added to the side of the General’s plane that Van serviced.  His last duty station was at Cannon Air Force Base, so after retiring, he remained in the area.  For a time he was employed at Opliger Cattle Company.  In 2017 he became the school custodian at Brown Elementary School where he was known to all of the children as “Papa Van.”

On Aug. 3, 2012 at Calvary Baptist Church in Portales, he was married to Carol Wood.  He always enjoyed doing mechanic work. For several years he was an active member of the Dora Baptist Church where his son-in-law served as pastor.  He was a regular at the VFW Post where he enjoyed playing pool with several members, including his step-son.  Van was a jovial man, always ready with a quip or a joke, and he loved kids, especially his grandchildren.

Van is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Tabatha Johnson of Portales; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cara and Dusty Tipton of Clovis and Caron and Ben Pritchett of Portales; 13 grandchildren; his mother, Juanita Nation of Bemet, CA; and a brother, Reed Allen Nation of Las Vegas, NV.  Van was preceded in death by his father, and his wife, Carol Wood Nation who died Mar. 3, 2024.

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