Ernest Day

Lifelong Durango resident Ernest Day died at his home on June 11. He would have been 95 years old in one month.
He was born in Durango on July 21, 1919 to Oscar and Eva (Idle) Day. He graduated from Durango High School in 1937 and married his wife of nearly 71 years, Orpha Marie McClendon, in August of 1938. They lived in the Durango area all their lives, moving to their farm at Sunnyside in 1948. He was a rancher/farmer all his life. He was also a master plumber and operated his own plumbing and heating business for over 60 years. Prior to being deployed, he helped construct the uranium extraction plant in Monticello, Utah. During World War II he served in the United States Army in Belgium and France, and was honorably discharged from the service in February 1946.
He is survived by two children, Danny Day and Ernestine Diem both of Durango; four grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by all his siblings, his wife in 2009 and a granddaughter, Karla Day in 1987.
Services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, June 23 at Hood Mortuary Chapel. Interment will be in the Hermosa Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Manna Soup Kitchen, PO Box 1196, Durango, CO 81302, or the Durango Pregnancy Center, 1315 Main Ave., Ste. 230, Durango, CO 81301.