Robert Vialpando

On the evening of December 4, 2014, Robert passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones at Mercy Regional Medical Center, Durango, CO. He was 66 years old.
Robert was born in La Junta, Colorado on July 18, 1948; the oldest child of Ofrocinia (Baca) and Leve Vialpando.
Robert was the oldest of 4 children and he took his role as the oldest very seriously, always there to help take care of his family or lend a helping hand when needed. Family was one of the most important aspects of his life.
After graduating high school, Robert joined the United States Army serving his country proudly from April 1968 to May 1972. He was in Vietnam during 1968-1969 and awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Army Commendation, National Defense Service, Vietnam Service, RVN Gallantry Cross, Vietnam Campaign, and Expert Marksmanship. He retired as a sergeant.
Robert was not only a strong family man; he was a mentor, a coach, teacher, counselor and social worker. He always took great pride in his work ethics. Robert could often be quoted as saying “the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary”. He felt his purpose in life was to help others and his family and to impart his vast wisdom and knowledge to others.
One of Roberts’ biggest passions next to his family was wrestling. He coached his children, as well as grandchildren to many a state championships. He lived for the sport often times spending a lot of the year traveling to different wrestling camps and tournaments. Robert would never turn down a chance to coach someone and help them with their wrestling skills. If someone needed assistance getting to a camp he would do whatever he could to set up a scholarship for them - many times donating the money and time to get them there himself.. He was very active with the Native American Sports Council, USA Wrestling, and The United States Olympic Deaf Wrestling team. He coached a team during the Pan Am Games in 1986. In the summer of 1996, Robert coached a team of wrestlers in the Olympic Sports Festival in Colorado Springs, CO. In 1998, he traveled with the USA Deaf wrestling team to Cuba for the Deaf Olympics. He never missed a visit to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. He was one of the few people to become Gold Level Certified as an Olympic Coach through the Olympic Training Center.
Robert’s house was always open to people in need and he would always offer a friendly piece of advice and wisdom along with a warm meal. Cooking for his family and friends was so important to him and he was well known for his homemade green chili. Often times when asked for the recipe he really had to think, the recipe was handed down from his mother and there was never an actual written one, it was always done by taste, add a little of this and a little of that until it was just right.
Robert loved to travel and was always ready to hop in the car for a road trip. Whether it was heading to Monterey, CA to see the Sea otters, or to the San Isabel National Forest to see San Isabel Lake. He loved the ocean and the mountains and loved to share these journeys with his family and friends.
Robert was very interested in learning all he could about his different cultures and spent hours researching and learning about ancestors. He was also multilingual and loved debating in his native tongue of Spanish with his good friends.
In 1970, Robert married Terry Shores (Woten). To this union, they had three children. The marriage later ended in divorce.
In 1985 while working at the Colorado Springs School for the Deaf and Blind, Robert met and later married Dian Jenkins who also brought a son to the union, Daniel Jenkins. They shared many happy memories and loved to travel together to go and see their grandchildren and friends.
Robert is preceded in death by his mother and father, both paternal and maternal grandparents, many aunts and uncles as well as his sister Dorothy Vialpando, nephew Adam Vargus, his father-in-law James Zangari and many close friends.
Robert is survived by his wife of 24 years, Dian Jenkins, son Robert Lee Vialpando Jr. and wife Connie of Meridian, ID, daughter Devonne Kingery and husband Chris of Cortez, CO, and son Daniel Jenkins of Durango, CO. He is also survived by his sister Virginia Konior and brother in law Jim of Jacksonville, NC, sister Loretta Vialpando of Rocky Ford, CO, sister in-law Cheri Polk, of Berea, OH, mother-in-law Florence Zangari of Avon, OH; his grandchildren, Joseph Wilbanks of Durango, CO , Christopher Vialpando of Misawa, Japan, Brittany Vialpando of Ammon, ID and his unborn grandson, Keegan James Robert Kingery of Cortez, CO. Robert is also survived by his nephew Michael Konior of California, niece Kimberly Konior of North Carolina, nephew Jeremy Vargus of California, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Please join the family at a Celebration of Robert’s Life on January 17, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 495 Florida Road, Durango, CO 81301. A light luncheon will be held at the church following the ceremony. The scattering of ashes will be held privately at a later date.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Dian Jenkins, c/o Robert Vialpando memorial fund, Pine River Valley Bank, 1701 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301, 970-385-9583 to help offset the financial cost of medical bills and funeral arrangements. Any funds left over will be donated to one of the many wrestling camps Robert supported.
Special thanks go to the many nurses, doctors, therapists, and care givers Robert had over the last 4 months at Mercy Regional Medical Center; the staff, doctors and nurses at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, and to Cottonwood Rehabilitation Center in Durango, CO. Also a special thanks to the many special and dear friends near and far who went out of their way to support Robert and his family during the last four difficult months.