Story by Paul Duncan and Mark Wing (photos by Mark Wing unless otherwise noted)

The Tin Lizzies were invited to participate in an antique car show as part of a fund raising event for the historic Fairview Cemetery at 700 Yale Blvd., SE in Albuquerque on Memorial Day, May 31st. The Model A club (the Pocos Quatros) were also at the event that ran from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Tin Lizzie President Paul and club Treasurer Marilyn Duncan drove their 1920 Model T touring car, Mark and Susan Wing brought their 1925 touring, Stan and Janice Gauna drove their 1917 depot hack, and Steve Langdon trailered his 1926 Model T coupe from Belen.

The Historic Fairview Cemetery was founded in 1881 and is currently run by an Albuquerque nonprofit organization whose mission is to maintain the oldest part of the Fairview Cemetery and educate people on the rich history of the people buried there. Gail Rubin, the Chairperson of the Historic Fairview Cemetery nonprofit organization, and board member Sara Sather contacted the Tin Lizzies to ask for our participation on this Memorial Day. Gail Rubin said in a pre-event press release: “While there are approximately 12,000 burial sites in the historic cemetery, fewer than 6,000 have markers. Among the well-known New Mexico family names on the tour are Dietz, Galles, Huning, Menaul, Rodey and Ross. There are Rough Riders, Buffalo Soldiers, people from at least 23 countries and three Native American tribes interred in Historic Fairview Cemetery.”

There were walking tours from the Cemetery volunteers every hour and they were so successful, they sold out all of the formal tours that day! Our cars were located in the older (northern) section of the cemetery near the divide between the green (irrigated) part of the cemetery, that is maintained “in perpetuity”, and the older section that is more arid and maintained by volunteers. We were parked near the Simms-Dietz-Luthy family memorial sites and got to spend some time with Linda Dietz, a member of the family after which “Dietz Farms” a housing development in Albuquerque’s north valley is named. Linda is also a friend of Paul and Marilyn Duncan who also live in Albuquerque’s North Valley. Linda’s family were prominent farmers in the Albuquerque area and are part of the Dietz family that became famous for manufacturing oil and kerosene lanterns for railroads, ships, mining, and automobiles beginning in the 1840’s.

One of interesting the burials is that of Edmund G. Ross (1826-1907) who came to New Mexico from Kansas in 1882. He served as the New Mexico Territorial Governor from 1885-1889 and was responsible for the founding of the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University and New Mexico Tech. He is remembered as the Kansas Senator who cast the deciding vote to acquit President Andrew Johnson during his Presidential Impeachment Trial in 1868. His descendants still live in Albuquerque and were there for the Memorial Day event.

Over 100 visitors stopped by in our parking area during the time we were there. The event was over at 1pm and we headed for home. Our departure was just in time as heavy rain and hail fell on much of the Albuquerque area later in the afternoon. On their drive home Paul and Marilyn Duncan were caught in a heavy rainstorm and sought temporary shelter under a carport at the Vineyard Retirement Community, where the Tin Lizzies hold our monthly club meetings. When they arrive home, their property was covered in hail that damaged the plants in their garden.

For more information on the Historic Fairview Memorial Cemetery:

Contact: Gail Rubin, president of the Historic Fairview Cemetery nonprofit organization Office Phone: 505-265-7215 Cell Phone: 505-363-7514. Email: Gail@agoodgoodbye.com

P.O. Box 36987, Albuquerque, NM 87176-6987 www.HistoricFairviewCemeteryABQ.org