Theresa Maria Shore (Benavidez), 90, was born October 3, 1935 to Jose and Esperanza Benavidez in Deming, New Mexico. She passed away peacefully with loved ones by her side on November 22, 2025.
Theresa graduated from Deming High School in 1954. She was such a wonderful seamstress, the Home Economics teacher let her help teach the class.
Much to her surprise the Deming Football team nominated her for a new beauty pageant to be held in Truth or Consequences; The Miss Fiesta contest. She represented Deming and went on to win the pageant. Winning the pageant created opportunities that sent her off to Hollywood, California to pursue a career in the movie business. A small part in East of Eden with that guy James Dean. Edited out.
Show business was not for her but she liked the big city and got herself a bank teller job on Hollywood Blvd. She soon met her future husband, Carl Runkel, a jeweler on Hollywood Blvd. They had two daughters, La Prial and Nicole. During their marriage of 18 years, they traveled the world with The Shriners.
After her first marriage ended she manifested a successful career in hotel restaurant management working for Hilton Hotels. No matter her new career, she was always kind and beloved by all.
Luckily for Theresa she was able to find love a second time around. She relocated to Hallandale, FL, and married Ronald Shore and had a very happy life in Florida. She lost Ronald due to complications from Alzheimer's Disease in 2021. She moved to San Diego, CA to live with her daughters in 2017. Theresa moved back to Deming in August of this year.
She is survived by her two daughters, La Prial Runkel and Nicole Runkel; a brother, Carlos Benavidez; sisters, Ernestina Sainz and Aurora Vega.
Theresa mastered many crafts and could talk about many things but her most beloved topic would be the importance of skin care. Nurses and female doctors would ask my mom about her skin regiment. She was a beautiful woman inside and out.
A Memorial Mass celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 12PM, at St. Ann's Catholic Church (400 S. Ruby St. Deming, NM 88030). Cremation has been entrusted to Baca's Mimbres Crematory.
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