Local auctioneer remembered

Jeanell Paiz and family friends laughed as they sat around the dining room table, listening to Johnny Paiz’s brother and best friend tell stories about the antics of the Portales resident and world-traveled auctioneer. Dwain Nunez, Paiz’ best friend of more than 40 years, was telling tales of he and Paiz sneaking out as teenagers to go out and pick up girls on their horses. “We used to sneak out that window and take off,” he said, laughing. Along with being an auctioneer in places like Europe, the middle east and the Philippines, Johnny Paiz was also a volunteer auctioneer with the junior livestock sale at the Roosevelt County Fair for more than 30 years. Paiz, 55, died Sunday after battling lung cancer for more than one year. “Johnny liked a challenge and liked adventure,” Nunez said. “He liked to do anything as long as it involved a horse.”...more