Obituaries

Albert Esparza

Albert Esparza

Oct 11, 2011

Obituary for Albert M. Esparza Albert M. Esparza passed away on October 11, 2011, at Four Corners Heath Care Center in Durango. He was 88. He was born on November 15, 1922, to Andres and Rita Esparza in El Paso, Texas. Albert was a United States Army Veteran and a longtime resident of Ignacio, Colo., where he worked for the...

Bryan Rock JR.

Bryan Rock JR.

Oct 5, 2011

Obituary for Bryan Rock Jr. Bryan Rock, Jr., died Wednesday, October 5, 2011, of natural causes at his home in Ignacio, Colo. He was 81. Bryan was born December 2, 1929, in Ignacio, the son of Bryan Rock, Sr., and Alice Rock. He served as a U.S. Marine during the Korean conflict in 1950-53. He and Donna Red were married...

Keith Vinson

Keith Vinson

Oct 4, 2011

Obituary for Keith R. Vinson Keith Richard Vinson, 18, died Tuesday, October 4, 2011, in Durango, Colo. Keith was born April 5, 1993, in Denver, the son of Paul and Tina Vinson. He came to live with Fred and April Schneider in 2001. Keith’s significant disabilities and special needs could be provided for by Fred and April. He attended the...

Lola Weyer

Lola Weyer

Oct 4, 2011

Obituary for Lola B. Weyer Lola Berniece Weyer passed away on October 4, 2011, at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango. She was 96. She was born January 28, 1915, in Claremore, Okla., to Martin and Estella Rader. She married Fred Weyer in August of 1933. They led an adventurous life by moving first to Reno, Nev., where she...

Richard Cass

Richard Cass

Oct 1, 2011

Obituary for Richard D. Cass Richard Douglas Cass died Saturday, October 1, 2011, in Durango, Colo. He was 57. Mr. Cass was born September 28, 1954, in Tulsa, Okla., the son of Norman and J’Ann (Joyce) Cass. He graduated from Tulsa Memorial High School in 1972 and attended OU and Central Missouri State University, majoring in accounting. He preferred restaurant...

Clifton Ellis

Clifton Ellis

Oct 1, 2011

Obituary for Clifton L. Ellis Clifton Lee Ellis died of complications from pneumonia Saturday, October 1, 2011, in Mancos, Colo. He was 78. Clifton was born February 21, 1933, in Dimock Township, Pa., son of Fred and Harriet Ellis. He grew up and attended school in this area as well. He was an OTR truck driver for several years. In...

Charles Swift III

Charles Swift III

Sep 30, 2011

Obituary for Charles R. Swift III Charlie Swift, M.D., loving husband and father of six, peace activist, world traveler and mountain hiker, died at the age of 92 in Durango on Friday, September 30, 2011, from complications of pneumonia. Born in Miles City, Mont., on April 19, 1919, Charlie was the third son of college-educated New Englanders who had come...

Westin Maycock

Westin Maycock

Sep 30, 2011

Obituary for Westin Clark "Boo" Maycock Westin Clark “Boo” Maycock, 28, died Friday, September 30, 2011 in Durango, Colo. Services are scheduled for Thursday, October 6, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at Hood Mortuary Chapel in Durango. Mr. Maycock was born January 14, 1983, in Kirkland, Washington, the son of Scott and Shelly Maycock. Westin grew up in Durango and graduated...

Ralph Bedford

Ralph Bedford

Sep 30, 2011

Obituary for Ralph Olden Bedford Ralph Olden Bedford passed away at Mercy Hospital in Durango, Colo., September 30, 2011, with his wife and family at his side. He was born February 15,1929, to Emerson and Helen (McBain) Bedford in West Haven, Conn. The family settled in Vista, Calif., where Ralph grew up and attended school. He was a long time...

Ronald Frost

Ronald Frost

Sep 28, 2011

Obituary for Ronald Frost Ronald Frost died Wednesday, September 28, 2011, at his home in Ignacio, Colo. He was 59. Mr. Frost was born June 12, 1952, in Durango, Colo., son of Jack and Annetta Frost. He was raised in Bayfield, Colo., and he attended Bayfield High School and Moffat High School in Moffat, Colo. During his high school years,...

Julie Maldonado

Julie Maldonado

Sep 28, 2011

Obituary for Julie A. Maldonado Julie Ann Maldonado was born into time February 4, 1970, in Denver, and born into eternity September 28, 2011, in Farmington N.M. She was 41. Julie attended school in Denver. Most recently, she worked in Cortez, Colo., providing care for children. Her mother-in-law, Liz Brown, of Durango, says, “Julie loved people, and always reached out...

Kenneth Hiner

Kenneth Hiner

Sep 28, 2011

Obituary for Kenneth H. Hiner Kenneth Hiner passed away on September 28, 2011, at his home on the Florida Mesa, at the age of 92. Kenneth Harley Hiner was born at home on the Florida Mesa to Clarence and Esther Hiner on August 28, 1919. He married Lena Murphy (of Durango) in Los Angeles in 1941. He served in the...

Anna Cannon

Anna Cannon

Sep 27, 2011

Obituary for Anna L. Cannon Anna Lillian Cannon died Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, in Durango, Colo. She was 74. Mrs. Cannon was born Nov. 20, 1936, in Dighton, Mass., daughter of Arthur and Beatrice Cartman. Anna and her husband, Jack, raised their children in Albuquerque, N.M. Once Jack retired, they moved to Bayfield, Colo., where they enjoyed life in the...

Donna Baker

Donna Baker

Sep 26, 2011

Obituary for Donna L. Baker Donna Langehennig Baker died Monday, September 26, 2011, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango. She was 63. Mrs. Baker was born May 9, 1948, in Fredricksburg, Texas, daughter of Walter and Estella Langehennig. She spent the early years of her life on a Texas ranch among beloved horses and even more beloved family. On...

Peggy Doyel

Peggy Doyel

Sep 22, 2011

Obituary for Peggy Lee Doyel Peggy Lee Doyel, 78, long-time resident of Bayfield, died Thursday, September 22, 2011, at 8:45 p.m. in Durango. She was an avid gardener and well known in her community. She was preceded in death by her husband Lloyd Newton Doyel in 1986. She has four natural children: Gary Alan Doyle, Cheryl Lynn Gale, Michael Ray...

Clara Aspromonte-Piccoli

Clara Aspromonte-Piccoli

Sep 20, 2011

Obituary for Clara Aspromonte-Piccoli Clara Aspromonte- Piccoli, 63, died Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, in Durango. A rosary will be recited at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., also at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Father Joseph Gallegos C.R. of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will...

Analicia Ellis

Analicia Ellis

Sep 20, 2011

Obituary for Analicia J. Ellis Our earthly angel, Analicia Jolee Ellis, joined her celestial family September 20, 2011. She was born June 21, 2011, in Albuquerque, N.M. She is survived by her mother, Charissa Martinez; her father, Michael Ellis; and two sisters, Marissa Ellis and Shayla Hayes; great-grandparents, John and Lucy Martinez; grandmother, Benita "Boonky" Wright; and numerous aunts, uncles...

Beverly Branch

Beverly Branch

Sep 19, 2011

Obituary for Beverly E. Branch Beverly Elizabeth Branch passed away Monday, September 19, 2011, in Durango, Colo. She was 93. Beverly was born January 26, 1918, in Waterville, Maine, to the late Charles Ralph Fitch and Hope Elizabeth Richards Fitch. She married Francis E. (Bud) Branch in 1936, and in 1957 moved to Big Spring, Texas, with their family. Beverly...

Michael Garcia

Michael Garcia

Sep 18, 2011

Obituary for Michael C. Garcia Durango native Michael Cedric Garcia died Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011, after a 3 1/2-year battle with lung cancer. He was 55. Michael was born Feb. 18, 1956, in Durango, to Joseph and Mary Garcia. He graduated from Durango High School. He married Valerie Mestas June 24, 1995, in Laughlin, Nev., on the Colorado River. Michael...

Ellen Jackson

Ellen Jackson

Sep 15, 2011

Obituary for Ellen E. "Grandmaw" Jackson A native and longtime Leadville resident, Ellen E. Jackson (AKA Grandmaw) died Thursday, September 15, 2011, at her home in Durango, Colo. She was 100 years old. Ellen was born on May 23, 1911 in Leadville to Gustav and Elin Malmgren, both immigrants from Sweden. Although she lived the last five years in Durango,...