August Aaland

Durango resident August William Aaland died of a sudden illness on Friday, November 25, 2011, at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora. He was 5 ½ months.

Known as "Gus," he was born to Chris and Shelly Aaland on June 7, 2011, at Mercy Regional Medical Center.

He enjoyed time with his parents and older brother, Otto, his extended family, and the Fort Lewis College volleyball team, which his mother coaches. He especially enjoyed having his parents and brother sing to him, as well as stroller rides around the Fort Lewis campus.

His parents called him a "dreamboat baby, one that smiled constantly and brought joy to everybody around him."

Gus is survived by his parents, Chris and Shelly Aaland of Durango; brother, Otto Aaland, of Durango; grandparents, Bill and Judy Raines of Wheat Ridge, Jim and Pat Feagler of Colorado Springs, Carol Harshberger of Monroe, Mich.; Jack and Joan Harshberger of Birmingham, Ala.; and Vic and Jan Smith of Woodland Park; uncles and aunts, Billy Raines and Dan and Courtney Harshberger of Durango, Melanie and Mark Miller of Mendham, N.J., Stephanie and John Train of Fort Collins, Kristen and Shawn Foery of Lone Tree, and Jason Feagler of Colorado Springs; great-grandmothers Gladys Aaland of Colorado Springs and Rose Marie Harshberger of Birmingham, Ala.; and five cousins.

A memorial service will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2011, at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. Interment will be at Greenmount Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Gus Aaland memorial fund at the First National Bank of Durango. Additional contributions may be made in his name to the Peppy Seale Endowment through the Fort Lewis College Foundation, the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation or the Mercy Health Foundation.