Annalee Thayer Azzinaro

Services will be live-streamed and may be viewed by clicking here.

Annalee Thayer Azzinaro, lovingly known as “Nana,” passed away on October 21, 2026, at the age of 89. Her life was a beautiful testament to faith, devotion to family, and a heart filled with love for others. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, October 29, 2026, at Carlsbad First Assembly, with Pastor Brad Coates officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Gardens Memorial Park, Carlsbad, NM. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Annalee was born on December 12, 1936, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, to Walter E. Thayer and Annabelle Jones Thayer. In January 1961, she married Samuel L. Azzinaro at First Assembly of God in Carlsbad. Together, they shared 59 years of marriage, building a life rooted in love, faith, and family.

A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Annalee found her greatest joy in caring for the people she loved. Alongside her role as a homemaker, she worked at Southwest Air Conditioning for her brother-in-law, James Otts, and served faithfully as secretary and bookkeeper at First Assembly of God. Her dedication to her church extended beyond her work. For many years, she taught the toddler Sunday School class, sharing her faith with the youngest members of the congregation. One of her sweetest traditions was singing “Jesus Loves Me” to every baby she had the opportunity to hold—a simple yet enduring expression of the tenderness and faith that defined her life.

Annalee loved her husband, Sam, her sons, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren with all her heart. She was a faithful prayer warrior who lifted her family and friends to the Lord each day, quietly interceding on their behalf. Her prayers were one of the many ways she expressed her deep and abiding love. The legacy she leaves behind is woven into the lives she touched, the faith she shared, and the love she gave so freely.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Sam; her oldest son, Sammy Azzinaro; and her siblings, Mary Lou Otts and Walter “Sonny” Thayer.

Those left to cherish her memory include her sons, Steve Azzinaro and his wife, Jennett, and David Azzinaro and his wife, Melissa; her grandchildren, Whitney Azzinaro, Courtney Azzinaro and Jeff Young, Lyndon Abernathy, Aubrey Azzinaro, Loren Abernathy, Gemma Priddy and her husband, Jonathan Priddy, Hannah Azzinaro Cruz and her husband, Alex Cruz, Kaylee Azzinaro, and Luke Azzinaro; and her great-grandchildren, Sydney Azzinaro, Ryan Young, Logan Young, Remy Young, Tobias Priddy, Elijah Cruz, and Emelia Cruz. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to Lakeview Christian Home Hospice in honor of Annalee. The family would also like to express their gratitude to Lakeview for the love and care shown to Annalee over the past few months; her last days were spent surrounded by family and friends with Lakeview staff overseeing her care.

Though she will be deeply missed, the love Annalee shared, the prayers she faithfully offered, and the faith she lived out will continue to bless the generations who follow her. To those who knew her, she will forever be a reminder of a love that was steadfast and enduring.

Condolences may be shared with the family at dentonwood.com.