Obituaries

Jan 11, 2015

Obituary for Grace Coolidge Rice (Marker) Grace Rice, 89, of Durango, passed away peacefully at Four Corners Nursing Home on January 11, 2015. Grace was a member of the “Ladies’ Auxiliary Club,” loved swimming for the “Mermaids,” and an avid lover of animals. Her beloved sisters included; Adah, Kappie and Marian. She was preceded in death by her loving husband,...

Jan 10, 2015

Obituary for Patricia Joan Mares (Espinosa) Patricia Joan Mares died peacefully on January 10, 2015, at the Sunshine Gardens Country Home memory care facility, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Patricia (Patsy) was born in Santa Fe, NM, March 23, 1936 to Orlando T. Espinosa and Elena Garcia Espinosa. Patsy graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1954 and...

Jan 9, 2015

Our beloved mother passed on during the evening of the 9th of January 2015 in Bayfield, Colorado after a courageous battle with cancer. Marie was born on the 3rd of July 1929 in Bisbee, Arizona to Quentin Walter and Marie Theresa Kane (Kaminski) of Bisbee. Quentin was a Pennsylvania native and an automobile mechanic and salesman. His wife was a...

Jan 8, 2015

Arthur Julius Olson, 77, of Durango, Colorado passed away on January 8, 2015 due to a cardiac arrest. At the time of heart failure he was hiking with his wife of 57­ years, Lucy Olson, love of his life and key to his multiple blessings. Art was born in Denver, Colorado to Paul Julius Olson and Waunita Jimmie Olson (Webb­Rath)...

Jan 7, 2015

The world lost a legend on January 7th, 2015. William (Bill) Ramsey was a native and lifelong resident of New Mexico, who traced his ancestry from Ireland to the hills of Kentucky, and to the cattle country west of the Texas panhandle. Born the youngest son to Frank and Louise Ramsey on May 23, 1944, he spent countless days in...

Jan 6, 2015

Jan 6, 2015

Jan 3, 2015

Hattie Mary Hurchalla of Pagosa Springs died January 3rd, 2015, at Pine Ridge Extended Care Facility in Pagosa Springs, surrounded by her family. She was 87. Hattie was born in Casper, Wyoming on November 16th, 1927 to Albert and Rosamund McLellan. Hattie had 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Her early interests included pursuing her private pilots license, the...

Jan 3, 2015

Clint Bessee , 61, of Durango, died 1/3/2015 peacefully . Born 12/29/1953. Clint lived in Durango for 60 years. He loved to play video games and enjoyed working at South City Market in the video department. Clint is survived by his brother Brian Bessee of Durango and sister Margie Lopez of Mesa AZ. A service will be held at 10:00...

Jan 1, 2015

William Fredrick "Bill" Binger died January 1st, 2015 in Durango. He was 69. Bill was born March 17th, 1945 in Rocky Ford, CO, to Wilfred and Maxine Binger. He grew up in Rocky Ford and his family moved to Durango in the 1950's. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. While serving, he was in the Honor...

Jan 1, 2015

Bayfield resident Leon Newman was born July 18, 1962 in Maracaibo, Venezuela, to James and Louise Newman. He died on January 1, 2015, from a massive hemorrhagic bleed resulting from a collision. He was 52. Leon grew up in Dallas, Texas. He was a talented performer in stage productions in college and Dallas’ famed Theatre Three. His most recognized role...

Jan 1, 2015

Leland Bancroft Burr, 85, longtime Durangoan passed away on January 1, 2015. Leland was born July 10, 1929, in Colorado Springs to Leland and Marian Burr. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Donna, daughters Betty Aten, Loveland, Linda Gann, Denver, and 4 grandchildren. Moving to Durango in 1957 to work for Mountain Bell, he retired in 1990...

Dec 30, 2014

Obituary for Antonio Jose "Tony" Gallegos Antonio "Tony" J. Gallegos , 86, of Ignacio, CO, died 12/30/2014 peacefully with family . Born 9/3/1928. Tony was an amazing carpenter. Survived by wife Mary, children Margaret, David, Cindy & Kathi, 13 grandchildren & 9 great grandchildren. His siblings Grace, Yolanda, Arturo & Ramon. He is preceded in death by sons Lonnie, Frank...

Dec 28, 2014

A much loved mother, grandmother and friend, Betty Joe Carroll, 86, died 12/28/2014. She was survived by her children, Jan Murphy, Chuck Carroll and Jane Danneman, her 7 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Betty was a registered nurse for over 30 years and her varied personal interests ranged from golf to craft projects, card games, piano and almost everything in between....

Dec 27, 2014

Charlotte K. Cordell, 38, of Hesperus, Colorado, died 12/27/2014 at home. Born 1/8/1976. She was a member of the F.E.M.A. response team, & a volunteer fire fighter and EMT for FLM Fire. She is survived by her mother, Bonnie, sister: Reagan Perez, Brother: Troy Cordell, and many extended family. She was preceded in death by her father, Charles. Service will...

Dec 27, 2014

Clara Vaughn of Durango passed away December 27th, 2014 at her home in Durango. She was 77. Mrs. Vaughn was born February 14th, 1937, in Wann, OK to Levi and Grace Dean. She grew up in Wann and graduated from Antioch High School. She was married on Feb 18, 1956 to Johnny Vaughn in Carrizozo, N.M. In 1961, the young...

Dec 25, 2014

Obituary for Val Eugene Evensen Val E. Evensen, 75, of Durango passed away Thursday, Dec. 25, 2014. He was born on Sept. 16, 1939 in Durango, CO, to Clifford and Elma Evensen. He died due to complications of cancer and heart disease. Val is survived by his brother Ronald (Shirley) Evensen of Provo, UT, sister Elaine Bard of Roosevelt, UT,...

Dec 24, 2014

Jerry Mitchell Knaggs (“Mitch”), 49, joined his heavenly Father on December 24th, in Durango, Colorado. Mitch, owner and operator of JK Excavation, was born June 14, 1965, in Maywood, CA, to Jerry and Joy Knaggs. They moved to Durango in 1972 where Mitch grew up and eventually met and married the love of his life, Janet Duran. Mitch was a...

Dec 22, 2014

Obituary for Laura May Simpson Laura May Simpson, 85, of Bayfield, died December 22, 2014 at Four Corners Health Care Center. Mrs. Simpson is survived by daughter, Terri McMinn-Lewis, Grandchildren; Kyle & Dawn Wommer, Jeremy McMinn, Jaime Messier, Penny, Jan and Nancy; Great-grandchildren; Hannah and Abigail. She was preceded in death by her children; Monte Wommer and Lorna Farrow and...

Dec 20, 2014

Obituary for Suzanne Moffat-Stiles Suzanne Moffat Stiles passed away in Durango, Colorado, at the age of 72, on December 20th, 2014. She was born Suzanne Brzostowski in Chicago, Illinois on October 2, 1942. Suzanne moved to New Jersey in 1971 with her first husband and their two children. The family moved to Colorado in 1981. She later remarried, and had...