Rooted in crimson, Lilley family makes lasting impression

Doña Ana County may be the top pecan-producing county in the nation, but one family has shown that the richest harvests aren’t always grown in a field; they’re raised in homes grounded in education, service and crimson spirit.

For two generations, the Lilley family tree has flourished at NMSU. Their degrees span business, the arts, electrical and chemical engineering, education, government, journalism and agriculture. 

It all began in 1952, when James and Patricia Lilley, both graduates of The University of Texas, moved to Roswell, New Mexico, to raise their 10 children. Jim Lilley managed the local Sherwin-Williams store, while Pat Lilley cared for the children before launching her own jewelry business. Money was tight, but the household was rich in creativity and love.

Their children, Joe, Mike, Frank, Chris, Tom, Ann, Dan, Monica, Jess and Kay, graduated from Goddard High School, and all but two earned one or more degrees from NMSU. The family has grown to include 26 grandchildren, seven of whom are NMSU graduates, 37 great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.

The heart of this legacy is Mike Lilley ’75, a retired Las Cruces attorney whose career spanned four decades. A journalism graduate and former editor of The Round Up, he served on numerous nonprofit and professional boards, including the Southwest Environmental Center, Las Cruces Running Club, El Caldito Soup Kitchen and New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association.

“It became a family tradition to go to NMSU, and it paid off for us,” Mike Lilley says. 

He credits his mother with setting the family’s foundation. 

“She insisted on academic excellence and a solid education,” he says. 

Gabe Anaya ’59, president of El Caldito Soup Kitchen, sees those values in action. 

“Mike is an incredible individual, very dependable and always willing to serve others,” Anaya says.

The Lilleys still gather for Aggie games and alumni celebrations, despite living across several states. Like a well-rooted tree, the family continues to branch outward while staying grounded in the values Jim and Pat Lilley instilled: education, service and crimson pride.

“For a big family like ours, Las Cruces is a wonderful place to call home,” Mike Lilley says. “NMSU has served every one of us well.”