Eileen F. Westfall

Our beloved mother and Gan Gan, Eileen Westfall, 93, passed away Saturday, January 16, 2016 surrounded by her family.

Eileen was born on March 6, 1922, in Dallas, Texas to Dora and Aaron Buffington. She lived and worked through the Great Depression, working at W.A. Greene and Neimen Marcus in downtown Dallas. It was there where she met Earl Dean Westfall, an active-duty Marine on leave during WWII. They fell in love and upon his return from war they married in Dallas and subsequently moved to Odessa, Texas. While living in Odessa they had their two beautiful children Alan Earl and Pamela Eileen.

They ended up moving the family to Hobbs, New Mexico where Earl became the Chief of Police. During this time Eileen was an active mother, holding positions in the PTA and Beta Sigma Phi sorority and she started the New Mexico Art Association known as “Llano Estacado.” They also owned an art framing and supply store called “The Art Palette” and she continued to teach art lessons out of their home for several years.

The Westfalls later moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico where she also taught art classes and owned the Sawdust Art Gallery, where she was known for bringing in well-known artists. She won numerous art awards for her oil paintings, including a prestigious New Mexico award for “Best in Show” with her winning painting of Carlsbad Caverns called the “Little Green Lake.” The painting was then part of a national traveling exhibit. She was frequently commissioned to create paintings for individuals and businesses in New Mexico and West Texas. She had a career of painting for over 40 years.

She spent the last 25 years in El Paso, Texas with her family. Her humor, never-failing dance moves, her elaborate storytelling and vivacious presence are the things that the family she left behind will miss the most.

She is survived by her daughter Pamela and son Alan; 6 grandchildren: Sean, Chad, Amanda, David, Sarah and Mark; and 4 great-grandchildren: Austin, Dylan, Garrett and Madeline.