Obituaries

Gwynn Shaw
Jun 5, 2011
Obituary for Gwynn E. Shaw Gwynn E. (Sorem) Shaw, 57, died Sunday, June 5, 2011, at home, in the loving presence of her husband Alexander and daughter, Stefanie in Durango, Colo. Gwynn battled lymphoma since 2008. Gwynn’s wishes were for a private family memorial and to be cremated. A family memorial hike along the old Galloping Goose railroad bed near...

Jeraldine Golden
Jun 4, 2011
Obituary for Jeraldine S. Golden Jeraldine S. Golden died Saturday, June 4, 2011, in Durango, Colo., as the result of complications from a fall at her home. She was 89. She had lived in Durango for 23 years. Jeraldine was born April 1, 1922, in Big Flat, Ark., the daughter of Wilburn and Leona Scroggins. In 1940 after she graduated...

Flora Salazar
Jun 3, 2011
Obituary for Flora Mary Salazar Flora Mary Salazar, 77, of Ignacio, Colo., was called home by our heavenly father Friday, June 3, 2011, at her home in Ignacio, Colo. Flora was born to Juan N. Gallegos and Matilda M. Garcia Sept. 3, 1933, in Ignacio. She was the ninth child of eleven children. Her brothers were Frank, Tony, Eddie, John,...

Joseph Lechner
May 31, 2011
Obituary for Joseph H. "Toppy" Lechner Joseph Herbert “Toppy” Lechner, 91, died Tuesday, May 31, 2011, in Durango, Colorado. Cremation has occurred and no services are planned at this time Mr. Lechner was born April 8, 1920, in Durango, Colorado, the son of Joe and Georgie (Amos) Lechner and raised on the family’s homestead in Rockwood, attending elementary and secondary...

Yvonne Carlyon
May 31, 2011
Obituary for Yvonne Y. Carlyon Longtime Durango resident Yvonne Yolande Carlyon died after a brief illness Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at Mercy Regional Medical Center. She was 96. Mrs. Carlyon was born to Eugene and Henriette Zingg on March 20, 1915, in Bern, Switzerland. She worked as an elevator operator in a department store in Switzerland and wanted to travel...

Richard Campbell
May 30, 2011
Obituary for Richard L. Campbell Ignacio resident Richard Lee Campbell died Monday, May 30, 2011, at home. He was 57. Rich Campbell was born September 23, 1953, in Telluride Colo., to Rollie and Mary Lou Campbell. Rich married Debra Ann Kolstad in Shasta County, Calif., in 1975, divorcing later. They moved to Tacoma, Wash., shortly after marriage. Rich worked as...

Betty Koon
May 30, 2011
Obituary for Betty Koon Durango native Betty Koon died Monday, May 30, 2011, at her daughter's home in Crossville, Tenn., of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 87. Mrs. Koon was born October 26, 1923, in Durango, Colo., to Orville and Clara Schumacher Cowan (Schaeferhoff). She was raised by her mother and stepfather, “Papa” Joseph Schaeferhoff, in Durango, and graduated...

John Nickerson
May 29, 2011
Obituary for John H. "Nick" Nickerson Bayfield resident, John Henry "Nick" Nickerson, 87, died peacefully at his home on May 29, 2011, after a courageous fight with cancer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 12, 1924, the son of Lester Emery Nickerson and Anna Madeline (Cooley) Nickerson. Nick served as a pilot in the Marine Corps during World...

Jean Howlett
May 24, 2011
Obituary for Jean L. Howlett Jean L. Howlett, a resident of Bayfield, died Tuesday May 24, 2011, in Durango, while surrounded by family. She was 79. Mrs. Howlett was born to George and Jennie Irwin Parrish in Minneapolis, Minn., on January 15, 1932. She graduated from South High School in Minneapolis June 1949, and married Don Howlett January 1955. Jean...

Jerry McVay
May 23, 2011
Obituary for Jerry Dean McVay Jerry Dean McVay died Monday, May 23, 2011, at home in Durango, Colo. He was 60. Jerry was born August 24, 1950, in Iowa, son of Gerald and Mildred McVay. Jerry lived in Iowa, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Arkansas. He lived in Arkansas for 22 years before moving to Durango after his mother's death....

George Stephens
May 21, 2011
Obituary for George C. Stephens George Clyde Stephens, 81, died Saturday, May 21, 2011, at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango, Colo. A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at 2 P.M. at Hood Mortuary. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango. Visitation will be held at Hood Mortuary Chapel on Tuesday, May 24, 2011,...

Julie Zweck-Frascht
May 20, 2011
Obituary for Julie R. Zweck-Frascht Durango and Mancos resident Julie Rae Zweck-Frascht died Friday, May 20, 2011, in Durango. She was 46. Julie was born May 6, 1965, in Denver, Colo., to Gwendolyn and John L. Zweck. She graduated from Erie High School, and earned her associate's degree from North Iowa Community College. She worked in Denver as a governmental...

Dalton McDonald JR.
May 19, 2011
Obituary for Dalton Ray McDonald Jr. Longtime La Plata County resident Dalton Ray McDonald Jr., died Thursday, May 19, 2011, at his home in Gem Village. He was 90. Known as “Ray,” he was born Jan. 15, 1921, to Olga Christensen and Dalton McDonald Sr. in Ohio City, which is in Gunnison County. His mother came to the U.S. from...

Raymond Willard
May 13, 2011
Obituary for Raymond "Earl" Willard Raymond "Earl" Willard, age 92, died Friday afternoon, May 13, 2011, at his home near Durango, Colorado. Earl was born August 20, 1918, to Dennis and Haley Willard in Preston, Kansas. He served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946 and was stationed in the Philippines during World War II. Until recent months...

Harold Moon
May 12, 2011
Obituary for Harold "Bob" Moon Bob Moon passed away Thursday May 12, 2011, in Durango after a short battle with cancer. Bob was born on May 3, 1957, in Lake Charles, La., to Henry "Hank" Moon and Sarah Louise Strickland. He grew up in many places, including Japan while his father was in the Air Force. He graduated from Panama...

Victor Lucero
May 11, 2011
Obituary for Victor N. Lucero Bayfield resident Victor N. Lucero died at his home Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at the age of 91. Victor was born December 25, 1919, in Bayfield, Colo., son of Phillip and Celestina Lucero. He spent his entire life in Bayfield. He served in the Army during World War II. His family says that he was...

Michael Putnam
May 11, 2011
Obituary for Michael E. Putnam Durango resident Michael Eugene Putnam died Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango. He was 65. Michael was born to Para Lee and Norman Earl Putnam, Sr., December 24, 1945, in Edmond, Okla. When he was six months old, the family moved to Colorado. He lived in Ignacio until the...

Genevieve Lutz-Hoskin
May 11, 2011
Obituary for Genevieve P. Lutz-Hoskin Genevieve Hoskin, died Wednesday, May 11, 2011, in Lakewood, Colo. She was 83. Genevieve was born January 2, 1928, in Stafford, Kan., to Walter and Wilma Scheib. She married Howard Lutz from St. John, Kan., and they moved to Durango with their daughter after coming here on vacation in the 50's. She worked at the...

Willard Seibel
May 8, 2011
Obituary for Willard H. Seibel Willard H. Seibel, 91, passed away May 8, 2011, at his home in Arboles. A private service honoring him is planned at the family cemetery. The community is invited to join Willard’s family in an open house remembrance gathering to be held at Los Pinos Fire Station #5 in Arboles, Colo., on Saturday May 14,...

Iden Baker
May 6, 2011
Obituary for Iden C. Baker Southern Ute Tribal member Iden C. Baker passed into the Spirit world on Friday morning, May 6, 2011, at Mercy Regional Medical Center due to an extended illness. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at the Southern Ute Memorial Chapel, 258 Ute Road, Ignacio, with Larry Tucker officiating. Visitation...