Eugene Edwin Oard Jr

Eugene Edwin Oard Jr. - known to those who loved him as "Sonny"-died of natural causes on Thursday, May 29, 2014, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the age of 58. He was born on November 11, 1955, in Dallas, Texas to Eugene Edwin Oard, Sr. and Shirley Ann Horne. Raised in Dallas, Texas, he graduated from H. Grady Spruce High School in 1974 and shortly thereafter moved to Austin, Texas to be close to his sister, Sharon, and to pursue his passion for music. Sonny was a gifted guitarist and songwriter who worked for several years at the famed music venue, The Armadillo World Headquarters. Sonny loved blues music and was a particular fan and friend of the Texas blues legend, Mance Lipscomb. In 1984, Sonny returned to Dallas and met the love of his life, Pamela Rubac. They married in 1988 and became the proud parents of triplets in 1993. Sonny was certified in Air Conditioning, Heating, and Electrical Repair, and started his own business, Sonny's Service Company. In 2011, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to be near his sister Sharon and his brother-in-law, Teddy. In Albuquerque, he worked as the facilities manager for Casas del Rio Student Apartments on the University of New Mexico campus. He is survived by his triplets: Alex Oard, Megan Oard, and Travis Oard and by Travis's wife, Vicky. Sonny is also survived by his father, Eugene Edwin Oard, Sr.; his sister, Sharon Oard Warner and her husband, Dr. Teddy Warner; his brother, Ronald Blake and Ron's wife Sandy; his sisters, Laura Christine O'Brien, Lisa Ahrensbach, Debbie Cantrell, and Robin Villarreal Thornton; and by many nieces, nephews, and friends. He will be deeply missed. Those who wish to remember him can give a gift in his name to either the Metropolitan Homelessness Project in Albuquerque, New Mexico ( http://www.mhp-nm.org /) or to ARCA, Opening Doors, also in Albuquerque ( http://www.arc-a.org /).