Search Archived Marriage Records
Minnie Queen ‘Ivey’ Lewis
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Minnie Queen "Ivey" Lewis, who died Wednesday, May 26, 1999, in Durango. She was 91.
The cause of death was not known.
Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery.
Mrs. Lewis was born Feb. 16, 1908, in Kankakee, Ill. She graduated from Limon High School in 1926. She married Edgar W. Lewis Nov. 10, 1929, in Limon.
Mrs. Lewis attended nurse’s training at Presbyterian Hospital in Denver and graduated in 1929 as a registered nurse. She and her husband then lived in Prescott, Ariz., for several years. The family moved to Durango in 1951.
Mrs. Lewis worked at J C Penney Co. before working at the old Community Hospital on Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street. She later went to work at Mercy Hospital as a night supervisor until her retirement in 1970.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and Sarah Rebekah Lodge.
She was preceded in death by her husband on Sept. 26, 1986.
Survivors include two sons, Frank Lewis of Wichita, Kan., and John Lewis of Farmington, N.M.; a sister, Irene Hudson of Tucson, Ariz.; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the First Baptist Church, 332 E. 11th St., Durango, CO 81301.
Walter Irwin ‘Buster’ Walker
Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Walter Irwin "Buster" Walker, who died Wednesday, May 19, 1999, in Durango. He was 66.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mr. Walker was born Aug. 13, 1932, in Cortez. He attended schools in Silverton and Bayfield, graduating from Bayfield High School in 1949. He then attended Fort Lewis College until he was drafted during the Korean War. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the Strategic Air Command as a radio operator.
After his service, Mr. Walker attended Colorado State University where he received his degree in geology. He worked for the Colorado Department of Transportation for 30 years and was the District 5 head mineral engineer.
Mr. Walker married Martha Craig Sept. 1, 1956, in Durango. He enjoyed collecting minerals.
In addition to his wife, survivors include three children, Connie Walker-Hobson of Golden, Valerie Walker-Young of Lakewood and Mitchell Walker of Fort Collins; three granddaughters and one grandson.
The Rev. Rick Calhoun will officiate. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Fort Lewis College Foundation, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
Verna Loretta O’Brien
Services will be held at a later date in Mocksville, N.C., for Verna Loretta O’Brien, who died Tuesday, May 18, 1999, at Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos. She was 92.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mrs. O’Brien was born May 18, 1907, in Pickford, Mich., where she was raised. She was a graduate of Michigan State University.
Mrs. O’Brien helped start a fabric store in Birmingham, Mich.
She was a home economics teacher in Brooklyn, Mich. She retired and moved to Mocksville, N.C., with her husband in 1965.
She moved to Durango in December 1997 to be close to her son and family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Asa Wilson O’Brien.
Survivors include her son, Richard O’Brien of Durango; and three grandchildren, including Aaron J. O’Brien of Durango.
There was cremation.
Shin-hua Deng
Shin-hua Deng died Saturday, May 15, 1999, from injuries sustained in a car accident. She was 54.
Visitation was held Wednesday at Hood Mortuary.
Mrs. Deng was born Nov. 14, 1944, in Chiang Shi, China. She married Sy-muh Deng.
Mrs. Deng was a long-time resident of Durango and owner of the China Restaurant.
She is survived by her husband Sy-muh, of Durango; and two daughters, Shawping Abeyta of Phoenix and Shawchyi Vorisek of Versailles, Ky.
Ogden Mastin ‘Will’ Williams
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. today at St. Columba Catholic Church for Ogden Mastin "Will" Williams, who died Sunday, May 16, 1999, in Durango. He was 58.
The Rev. Mike McCleary will officiate.
Mr. Williams was born Jan. 15, 1941, in Norfolk, Va. He married Sharon Williams June 10, 1961. They lived in Durango for 10 years.
Mr. Williams was an economic developer. He was an executive member of the American Marketing Association, member of the Kiwanis Club, Economic Developers Council of Colorado and National Association of Development Organizations and charter member of the National Rural Economic Developers Association. He served on the Community Connections Board of Directors.
Mr. Williams was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church.
Over the past 20 years, Mr. Williams was involved in numerous organizations in Southwest Colorado.
In addition to his wife, survivors include two daughters, Carter L. Williams of Colbran and Corey S. Gonsalves of Vallejo, Calif.; a son, Colin M. Williams of Grand Junction; and Cera Williams, one of the seven grandchildren living with Mr. and Mrs. Williams.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Columba Catholic Church, 1830 East Second Ave., Durango, CO 81301 or to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 254 East Fifth Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Authorities said the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
D. Polk Brown
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Aztec First Baptist Church for D. Polk Brown, who died Sunday, May 16, 1999, in his home in Aztec. He was 86.
The Rev. Joe O’Neal will officiate at services. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Cope Memorial Chapel. Burial at Aztec Cemetery
will follow services.
Mr. Brown was born Nov. 13, 1912, in Cottle County, Texas. He married Julia Ora in 1934 in Roswell, N.M. They lived in San Juan County for 46 years.
Mr. Brown was a self-employed rancher and farmer. He farmed north of Durango during the 1950s. He was former San Juan County state representative from 1976 to 1981. He served on the Aztec School Board and received the Western Heritage Award from the Durango Pro Rodeo in 1997 and was Deacon of the First Baptist Church of Aztec.
In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, Tommy Brown of Farmington and Jerry Brown of Bayfield; two daughters, Susan Jo Brown of Vallecito and Jeanie Brown of Delta; a sister-in-law, Ann Brown of Bloomfield; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews
Memorial donations may be made to Baptist Children’s Home, Box 629, Portales, N.M. 88130.
Rita Francis Kanski
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Columba Catholic Church for Rita Francis Kanski, who died Saturday, May 15, 1999, in Durango. She was 72. The cause of death was not available.
A viewing will be held from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today at Hood Mortuary.
Burial will be in New York.
Mrs. Kanski was born Sept. 26, 1926. She was a resident of Yonkers, N.Y., until she moved to Durango in January 1999, where she resided at Sunshine Gardens West.
Mrs. Kanski was an employee of the Yonkers Board of Education until her retirement in the late 1980s. She enjoyed gardening.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Thomas Kanski in 1976 and a son, Douglas Kanski in 1961.
Survivors include her daughter, Dolores Kanski Jaye; and a grandson, Riley Douglas Jaye. She was expecting her second grandchild in the immediate future.
