William Allen Barefield

William Allen Barfield, a longtime resident of Socorro, New Mexico, passed away on March 1, 2026, at the age of 60.
Born on April 27, 1965, William was a man of many talents and deep passions. A brilliant mind, he was an accomplished chess player, most recently celebrating a first place victory at the New Mexico Senior State Chess Championship. Beyond his strategic prowess, William was a lifelong scholar who loved to read and collect books. He was a man of broad education, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grand Canyon College in Phoenix, Arizona.
William was also a man of faith and song. At the age of 14, while attending church, he was blessed with a wonderful bass voice-a gift he shared generously throughout his life. He performed at many venues across Socorro and found particular joy in volunteering his musical talents at the local long-term rehab facility, where he sang with a dedicated group to bring comfort and joy to others.
He was the oldest of Paul and Elaine Edgington's grandchildren and will be remembered fondly for his kindness, his intellect, and his beautiful voice.
William is preceded in death by his father, Robert Preston Barfield; his stepmother, Polly Barfield; his uncle, David Edgington; and his aunt, Judy Watts.
He is survived by his loving mother, Susan Elizabeth Edgington of Socorro; his sisters, Ellen Portas and Gloria Miller; his stepsisters, Deborah Pratt and Melanie Luesch; his beloved nephews, Kirk Portas (wife Valeria and son Derek), Zach Portas (wife Kelsey), and Robert Miller Jr.; his niece, Josie Portas Edgington; his uncle, Don Edgington (wife Toni); his aunts, Phyllis Roth (husband Glen) and Anita Edgington ; as well as many cherished cousins.
William's presence will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and the community he served so faithfully with his music.
A graveside service for William will be held on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 12:00 pm, at the Socorro Cemetery.
Arrangements are being handled by the caring professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, where an online guest register is available at www.noblin.com