Calletano "Collie" P. Chavarria

Calletano “Collie” P. Chavarria, 63, of Broken Arrow Road, Artesia, New Mexico passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at Artesia General Hospital in Artesia, New Mexico. Calletano was born on March 12, 1958, in Artesia, New Mexico to Ramon and Cruz Chavarria.

Visitation is scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Monday, August 2, 2021, at Denton-Wood Funeral Home Chapel. Vigil is scheduled for 9:30 AM Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Artesia, NM. Mass will follow starting at 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Grace with Fr. A.L. Vijaya Raju officiating, and interment will be at Woodbine Cemetery in Artesia, NM.

Throughout his life, Calletano continuously showed a spirit of determination and resilience. After struggling in the first grade, they found out that he was legally blind. He then went to the Alamogordo School for the Blind for one year, and then returned back to Artesia graduating from high school in 1977. After school, he started working in the petroleum industry ending as a shop foreman at the Navajo Refinery. Calletano loved his family, and would always check in with his siblings and always helped them anyway he could. He was an avid fisher, and always enjoyed being outdoors. He also enjoyed watching wrestling, cheering on the Rams and having a refreshing cold beer. Calletano will be never forgotten and missed dearly by all who knew him.

Calletano was preceded in death by his father, Ramon Chavarria; mother, Cruz (Pacheco) Chavarria; three siblings: Reynaldo Chavarria, Maria Luevano, and Rolando Chavarria; four siblings-in-law: Aucensio Martinez, Richard Granados, Henry Jimenez, John Olguin, and Lupe Chavarria; and several nieces and nephews.

Calletano is survived by his loving daughter, Krystal Chavarria of Artesia, NM; seven siblings: Ofelia Martinez of Artesia, NM, Ruben Chavarria and wife, Blasa of Santa Clara, NM, Josie Catano and husband, Mack of Artesia, NM, Elfie Granados of Artesia, NM, Criselda Jimenez of Artesia, NM, Ramon “Guy” Chavarria, Jr. and wife, Jane of Artesia, NM, and Connie Olguin of Carlsbad, NM; sister-in-law, Mary Villa Chavarria of Artesia, NM; long term companion, Velia Olguin of Las Cruces, NM; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Condolences may be expressed online at dentonwood.com