Obituaries

Aug 23, 2022

Opal M. Morgenthaler passed away on 8/23/ 2022, at Jacob’s Care Center in Rogersville, MO after a long battle with dementia. Opal was born on October 12, 1925, in Tiffany, Colorado to Walter and Gladys Morris. She was the 5th of 8 children born to the family. Opal grew up on a small farm near Tiffany, CO during the Great...

Aug 21, 2022

She was a loving mother, grandmother, daughter and friend. She loved to help anyone she came in contact with, which made nursing the perfect career for her. She showed her patients the same care and compassion that she shared with her loved ones. She loved to adventure and explore, scuba diving and seeing live music. Karen is survived by her...

Aug 19, 2022

Doris Evelyn Babb Andrews was born in Fort Worth, TX on November 10, 1931 to Foy and Winnie Babb. She graduated from Northside High School in Fort Worth and got a degree in teaching at Texas Weslyan College in 1953. She was married in 1952 to Jay Andrews and raised a daughter and two sons. She taught school for several...

Aug 19, 2022

Josette Chacon, 58, a lifelong resident of Durango passed away peacefully on August 19, 2022, surrounded by her beloved family. Josette was born in Durango on October 28, 1963 to Max and Joyce Chacon. She went to Needham Elementary, Miller Middle School and graduated from Durango High School. She then completed 2 years at Fort Lewis College. She met her...

Aug 18, 2022

Warren “Joe” Brown graduated from this life peacefully August 18th at his Bayfield home with loving family including grandson/caregiver Coltin Duran and wife Bree by his side. Joe was born May 31st 1927, second of two sons to Raymond & Faye Brown in Pagosa Springs. Joe was an avid hunter and fisherman and was always known as a jokester. He...

Aug 14, 2022

Larry Simmons, 82, passed away surrounded by his sons and family, on August 14, 2022 in Phoenix, AZ. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Greenmount Cemetery. Larry was born on August 29, 1939 in Dolores, Colorado to J.D. and Elda Simmons. He grew up in Durango, graduated from Durango High School,...

Aug 13, 2022

John Robert Poer, 86, of Yacolt, Washington, died 8/13/2022 surrounded by family in Battle Ground, Washington. Born 1/28/1936. He is survived by his wife, Diane & her sons, Bryan & Michael Kelly & their families; siblings: Nancy Ryan, Marie (John) Malarsie, Helen Gardiner, Patty (Butch) Prior, Margaret Poer (Allen Small), Jerry (Kris) Poer, Tom (Shawn) Poer and Rick Poer; and many extended family and friends; He was...

Aug 7, 2022

Sophia (Sophie) Marie Horvath was born June 11, 1987 in Durango, Colorado to Dale and Frances Horvath. The second of five children, she grew up and lived on the Dryside, west of Marvel, Colorado and attended school at Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary, Escalante Middle School and Durango High School. Sophie grew up in a close knit family and community. She...

Aug 5, 2022

Elizabeth Ann Leidy left us to walk with Jesus on August 5, 2022, at 10:44 pm, in her home with her husband, Kent, and daughter, Trinette, by her side. She was born and raised in Farmington, New Mexico, on March 18, 1958, to Bradford Weldon and Barbara Jean Willis (Bowman). She grew up with her older brothers, Joe, Al, and...

Aug 5, 2022

John William West of Durango, Colorado, a devoted Colorado outdoors enthusiast, passed away after a hard-fought battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) on August 5th, 2022. He was 76. John was born in Wichita, Kansas on May 6, 1946 to James and Mary Lou West. His family made the fortunate decision to move to Durango in 1957 where John eventually...

Aug 2, 2022

Carl Elmer Strohecker went to live with his Savior in the early morning of August 2, 2022. He was born on February 25, 1936 in Halifax, PA to Elmer and Dorothy Strohecker. He was the second of four children, he has an older sister and a younger brother and sister. He was a proud veteran having served in the Air...

Jul 25, 2022

Nichole Shannon Thames of Pagosa Springs, passed on July 25, 2022, she was 39 years old. Nichole was born September 21, 1982 in California. After graduating Pagosa Springs High School in 2000, she enjoyed a life with her family, friends, and adventures as often as life would allow. Her love of the outdoors led to family camping trips to the...

Jul 22, 2022

A Life Well Lived! Leslie C. Lynch (Les) was born in1950 in Illinois to Owen and Janet Lynch, the eldest of four children. He was gathered into the arms of his Heavenly Father July 2022. For over two years he battled cancer, but the cancer did not define him. Rather his experiences and accomplishments shaped his life. Les was a...

Jul 20, 2022

Frederick W. Sorenson, Jr, age 85, of Pagosa Springs, CO, passed away suddenly on July 20, 2022. Junior, also affectionately known as “Pa,” was born on September 2, 1936, to Frederick W. Sorenson (Billy) and Gertrude Kingsley in Pagosa Springs, CO. The Sorenson family came to Pagosa Springs in 1902 from Kankakee, Illinois, settling near Chimney Rock. Junior was an...

Jul 19, 2022

Jul 17, 2022

Velbeth H. Jones of Durango, Colorado passed away July 17, 2022. Velbeth named after Grandma Velma and Grandma Elizabeth, was born in Long Beach, California, April 14, 1947. Velbeth spent 31 years in the aerospace industry in Long Beach, California, starting with Douglas Aircraft which later became McDonnel Douglas Aircraft, and later merged with Boeing Aircraft. Graduating from high school...

Jul 16, 2022

Roy Juan Antonio Valdez, (Juanito), 29, passed away in Durango Colorado, on July 16, 2022. Roy Juan Antonio Valdez, (Juanito), was born on December 27th, 1992 in Las Vegas, New Mexico to Antonia Martinez and Roy Valdez. Juanito was a hard worker with many talents. He never refused to help those in need. He had a great personality, a funny...

Jul 13, 2022

John David Knutson, 79, was born on July 1, 1943, in WaKeeney, Kansas, to Clarence V. and Othelia (Meisner) Knutson and died on July 13, 2022, in Durango, Colorado. He graduated from Trego Community High School in 1961 and joined the U.S. Navy. After the Navy, he worked and lived in California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. He was a miner...

Jul 11, 2022

Joe Dacus Ford of Bayfield, CO passed away on July 11, 2022, at Evenings Porch Assisted Living in Bayfield, CO. He was 94 years old. Joe was born to Orval Jennings Ford and Lillie Mae (Parker) Ford on January 1, 1928 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Before he was one year old the family moved to Hagerman, NM where his father would...

Jul 9, 2022

Michael "Mike" Reagan Harrell passed away on July 9, 2022, he was 67. Mike was born in Albuquerque, NM on October 12, 1954. Mike was the eldest son of Sue and Daryl Harrell and grew up with his sister Deena and brother Mark. He was part of the first graduating class of Eldorado High School where he was voted "Class...