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Cecil A. (Fred) Sandefur Jr.
Cecil A. (Fred) Sandefur, Jr., 58, Buena Vista, died May 20, 2001, at his home.
Sandefur worked at CF&I; Steel Corp. in Pueblo for nine years while working on his teaching degree at Southern Colorado State College.
After graduation, he accepted a teaching position at McGinnis Middle School, where he taught for 29 years.
He loved teaching, hiking, camping at the cabin, model rockets, driving a bus for Noah’s Ark during the summer, spending time with his family and helping people.
He was an active member at the First Baptist Church of Buena Vista.
Sandefur is survived by his wife of 39 years, Sharon; sons, Eric (Kristen), Baker City, Ore., Brian and Craig (Sherri), Buena Vista; grandchildren, Jacob, Mitchell, Katie and Emily, Baker City, Ore.; mother, Ruby Sandefur; brother, John (Judy) Sandefur; sister, Bernice Wood, Penrose; step-mother-in-law, Mabelle Black, Alamosa; numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Buena Vista.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Fred Sandefur Science Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 105, Buena Vista, 81211, or the American Cancer Society for colon cancer research.
Arrangements are with Runyon Mortuary, Buena Vista.
Ralph Van Camp
Ralph E. Van Camp, 74, Loveland, died May 19, 2001, at his home.
He was born August 2, 1926, in rural Riverton, Neb., to Irving S. Van Camp and Marie Shoemaker.
In 1936, Van Camp moved to Missouri with his family and in 1937 to Elm Creek, Neb. The family returned to Riverton in 1938. Ralph graduated from Franklin High School in 1946.
He worked on construction jobs until 1952, when he started working for the Bureau of Reclamation.
Ralph married Myrna Adams March 29, 1952, at Zion Lutheran Church in Macon, Neb. They moved to Trenton, Neb., in 1956; to McCook Neb., in 1957 and to Grand Island, Neb., in 1959.
They moved to Salida in 1965, where he worked until his retirement from the Bureau of Reclamation in 1985. He then worked for Denoyer’s Nursery until 1994, when they moved to Loveland. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and gardening.
Camp is survived by his wife, Myrna Van Camp, Loveland; son, Marvin (Karina) Van Camp, Littleton; daughter, Sheryll (Paul) Sampson, Loveland; grandchildren: Bryan Sampson and Jon Sampson, both of Loveland; brother, Dean (Pam) Van Camp, of Quinlan, Texas; sisters, Eula (Don) Jackson, Hastings, Neb., Esther Vandivort, Dallas, Texas, Paula (Quinten) Monie, Dallas, Texas and Elaine Fetter, Greenville, S.C.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Loveland. Pastor Schlecht will officiate
Interment will be at Resthaven Memory Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Larimer County or Immanuel Lutheran Church in care of Resthaven Funeral Home, 100 E. CR 30, Fort Collins, CO.
Mildred ‘Millie’ Lou Berchert
Mildred “Millie” Lou Berchert, 75, died March 31, 2001, in Broomfield, after a brief illness.
She was born April 28, 1925, in Kansas City, Mo., to Fredrick and Martha Homan.
She grew up in Blue Island, Ill. Millie married Henry Berchert and they had three children. Millie and the children moved to Buena Vista in 1967, to a ranch three miles north of town.
She was employed at the Buena Vista Correctional Facility, retiring in 1992. Millie was one of the founding members of the Ark-Valley Humane Society and was a volunteer for the task force on domestic violence.
Millie was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Martha; and daughter, Janice.
Berchert is survived by sons, John (Maria) Berchert, Washington, D.C. and James (Laura) Berchert, Broomfield.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. today at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Buena Vista.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ark-Valley Humane Society and Hospice of Denver.
Jonathan E. Colbert
Jonathan E. Colbert, 43, died March 31, 2001, at his home, in Salida.
He was born July 27, 1957, in Arlington, Mass., to Edward and Louise (Crocker) Colbert.
He was a resident of Salida for the past eight years. He enjoyed fishing, Patriots’ football and motorcycles.
Jon was preceded in death by his father, Edward.
Colbert is survived by his mother, Louise Hitchcock, Salida; brother, Phil (Raye) Colbert; nieces, Rebecca and Cate Colbert, all of Salida.
There are no services planned at this time.
Arrangements are with Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.
Brenda ‘Kay’ Watkins
Brenda “Kay” Watkins, 56, a resident of Salida and Funny River, Alaska, died March 19, 2001, at Memorial Hospital, in Colorado Springs.
Kay was born Jan. 23, 1945, in Lubbock, Texas, to L. K. and Myrt Gregory.
She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo and her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Alaska Pacific University, in Anchorage, Alaska.
Her teaching career included Pueblo Central High School, Buena Vista High School and Yakutat High School, in Alaska. She also served an internship at West Central Mental Health Clinic in Salida.
Kay and her husband owned and operated Gwin’s Lodge on the Kenai River in Cooper Landing, Alaska, for seven years.
She married Winston (Tony) Watkins in Clovis, N.M. in May 1961. They had two daughters, Kim and Michelle.
She was preceded in death by her parents, L.K. and Myrt Gregory and daughter, Michelle.
Watkins is survived by her husband, Winston; daughter, Kim (Rick) Walker; grandchildren, Kyle and Danielle Walker; sister, Jerri (George) Willis; brother, Tony (Kathy) Gregory; aunt, Laverne Martin; and mother-in-law, Marjorie Watkins.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at United Methodist Church in Salida and at a later date in Funny River, Alaska.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any domestic violence shelter, homeless shelter, educational institution/project, the American Cancer Society, or any other charity of the donor’s choice.
Donations may be made through Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home, P.O. Box 925, Salida, CO, 81201.
Mary N. Driggers
Mary N. Driggers, 93, Grand Junction, died March 10, 2001, at the Palisade Living Center in Palisade.
She was born Aug. 28, 1907, in Salida to Peter and Patricia Scanga Veltrie. She spent her childhood on a ranch near Salida and attended school in Salida.
On Aug. 27, 1939, she married Theodore B. Driggers in Salida. They moved to Grand Junction in 1948. He died June 6, 1989, in Grand Junction.
Visitation and Rosary were held March 15 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. A funeral Mass was celebrated March 16 by Rev. James Plough at the church and burial was in Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Grand Junction, 81506.
Lena ‘Lee’ Viola Marie DeGrazio
Lena “Lee” Viola Marie DeGrazio, 77, Salida, died Feb. 12, 2001, at Vencor Hospital, in Denver.
Lee was born Feb. 26, 1923, in Salida, to Charles and Mary (Muto) DeGrazio.
Lee worked as a deputy county clerk in the Chaffee County Clerk and Recorder’s Office under Jasper Cortese from 1967 until her retirement in 1989. She was an avid reader. Lee was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
She is survived by her brother, Bob (Stella) DeGrazio, Boulder and their children, Susan DeGrazio, Judy Sheppard, Rick DeGrazio, Steve DeGrazio and Kathy Winslow; sister, Gloria Castellucci, Salida and her son, Mike Castellucci; nephew, Jerry Naeve, the son of the late Frank DeGrazio, who preceded her in death along with her parents.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Mass of the Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place at Fairview Cemetery.
The family has requested calls of condolences to be made at the home of Gloria Castellucci, 1332 I St., Salida.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Salida Hospital Foundation through Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.
Ary C. Phillips Jr.
Ary C. Phillips Jr. died Jan. 27, 2001, at his home, in Salida.
Ary was born Nov. 12, 1935, in Greenville, Miss. He grew up in Vicksburg, Miss.
Mr. Phillips was an author and resided in Colorado for the last 17 years.
Phillips is survived by brothers, Gerald C. Phillips, Gulfport, Miss. and C. Alton Phillips, Madison, Miss.; and eight nieces and nephews.
Private cremation services were held.
Lillian Patton
Lillian Isabel Patton, 86, Salida, died, Feb. 10, 2001, at Columbine Manor.
Lillian was born Oct. 4, 1914, to Steve and Cassel (Paul) Ashland in Marshall, Minn.
She attended schools in Cloud County, Kan.
Lillian was united in marriage to Vernon C. Pihl, Jan. 26, 1933, in Beloit, Kan. They lived in Belleville and Cuba, Kan. most of their married life. Her husband died in January 1983.
She was united in marriage to Louis “Pat” Patton Feb. 26, 1989, and they lived in Prescott, Ariz. until April 1999. Louis died in May 1999.
Lillian was a former member of the Presbyterian Church and Order of Eastern Star in Kansas.
While living in Prescott, she was a member of the Church of God and attended church regularly until her death.
She enjoyed being a homemaker. She was an energetic gardener with vegetables and flowers. She also enjoyed sewing and craft work.
Lillian was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Vernon and Louis; grandson, Kevin Riffel; and brother, George Ashland.
Patton is survived by her daughter, Isabel Joanne Riffel, Buena Vista; son, Vernon Pihl, Salina, Kan.; grandchildren, Beverly Jackson, Nathrop, Brad Riffel, McCall, Idaho, Jeff Pihl, Castle Rock, and Jennifer Gregg, Salina, Kan.; three great-grandchildren; three step- great-grandchildren; sister Violet Stolzenburg, Ames, Kan.; other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be Feb. 15 at the Presbyterian Church in Cuba, Kan., with Reverend Sue Haseltine officiating. Burial will be in the Belleville City Cemetery, Belleville, Kan.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Cuba Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements are with Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kan.
