Beulah Mae Risner

 Beulah Mae Risner passed from her life on earth, June 20, 2019 at the age of 91. 

Affectionately known as Mae by family and friends, she was born December 14, 1927 in Camden Arkansas to Buck and Elsie Starnes.  At the age of two her family moved to Hot Springs Arkansas where she lived throughout her youth, graduating from Hot Springs High School in 1946. 

Not long after graduating high school she accepted a position as a stenographer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington D.C.  She was eventually compelled to leave her cherished job with the FBI and join the Navy, due to her younger brother serving as a Marine in the battlefields of Korea.  She served proudly in the US Navy from October 1952 until October 1956 at which time she was honorably discharged after having earned a Good Conduct Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. 

After being discharged from the Navy she returned to Washington D.C to work as a federal employee in the secretarial field, for the US Treasury Department and the US Secret Service.  She moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1963 to work for the US Public Health Service, Division of Indian Health before returning once again to Washington D.C. three years later to accept a position with the Internal Revenue Service.  In 1968 she relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she spent the remainder of her career with the US Forest service.  She retired in 1983 after almost 30 years of service as a federal employee, choosing to continue living in Albuquerque following retirement.

She was preceded in death by two older sisters and two younger brothers, being the last surviving member of her immediate family.  Although she was twice married, she had no children and is survived by twelve nieces and nephews who live in different areas across the country, as well as numerous grand nieces and nephews.  She will be missed.

She was a charitable person who helped many others along her road of life.  She was a devout Christian and a member of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Albuquerque.  She attended services regularly until her health failed, yet remained faithful in her belief and continued to support her church as well as receive support from her church family.  Again, she will be missed.

In accordance with her wishes, a graveside service will be held in the National Cemetery at Santa Fe, New Mexico on July 2nd, 2019 at 9:45 a.m.