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Harriet G. Kirk Duncan
A private service will be held at a later date for Harriet G. Kirk Duncan, who died Wednesday, Nov. 3, 1999, in Durango. She was 90.
The cause of death was not available.
Mrs. Duncan was born Nov. 5, 1908, in Custer, S.D. The family moved to Cortez in 1924. She graduated from Cortez High School and married Lem Duncan in 1926.
The family lived in Cortez and moved to Durango in 1942.
Mrs. Duncan was employed for many years at the Basin Livestock Commission Co. and the Gardens Department Store.
Mrs. Duncan was also a homemaker and seamstress. She enjoyed gardening, and her quilts received many awards at the county fair.
She was preceded in death by a son, Harold, and by an infant son, Charles.
Mrs. Duncan is survived by her husband, Lem; two daughters, Connie Christenson of Aurora, Colo., and Joann Armstrong of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one sister; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
There will be cremation.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
John William Voelker
Joint memorial services for John Voelker and Tom McCulloch will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall.
John W. Voelker, a resident of Durango for the past 22 years, died Sunday, Oct. 31, 1999, at the site of the plane crash of EgyptAir flight 990. He was 70.
Mr. Voelker was born in 1929. He and his wife, Louise, relocated from Mukwonago, Wis., in 1977, to the Bakers Bridge area.
Mr. Voelker, a retired engineer with General Motors, worked and volunteered his services with many local organizations. Some of these were: past president of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, La Plata Electric Association Board of Directors, Taxpayers for the Animas River (TAR), and the Humane Society Thrift Store.
Survivors include his wife, Louise; a stepdaughter, Roxanne Thomas of Hayward, Wis.; a stepson, David Tischaefer of Durango; his father, Joseph Siegl of Waukesha, Wis; and four grandchildren, Daren Thomas, Carissa Thomas, Chris Tischaefer and Josh Tischaefer.
Because he enjoyed local wildlife, memorial donations may be made in his name to NMA-Spring Creek Basin Herd, P.O. Box 8335, Durango, CO 81301, which would benefit the wild horses in Southwest Colorado or the La Plata County Humane Society, 1111 S. Camino del Rio, Durango, CO 81301.
Ramon ‘Ray’ L. Alton
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Ramon "Ray" L. Alton, who died Saturday, Oct. 30, 1999, in Durango. He was 63.
The cause of death was not available.
Mr. Dan Foster will officiate.
Mr. Alton was born Nov. 19, 1935, in Havre, Mont. He moved to Durango 12 years ago.
Mr. Alton served in the Air Force during the Korean War.
He enjoyed stamp and coin collecting, fishing, hunting and animals.
Survivors include four daughters, Marny Williams of Clearfield, Utah, and Kim Luque, Annette Luque and Tina Luque, all of Norwalk, Calif.; two sons, Ryan Palmer of Ogden, Utah, and Douglas Alton of Pendleton, Ore.; and a brother, Larry W. Alton of Kalispell, Mont.
Memorial donations may be made to the La Plata County Humane Society, P.O. Box 2164, Durango, CO 81302.
Donald Dale Pearman
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary for Donald Dale Pearman, who died Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1999. He was 56.
The cause of death was not available.
Mr. Pearman was born Dec. 31, 1942, in Bentonville, Ark. He and his wife, Carol, visited family here in 1992, fell in love with the area, and moved to Ignacio in 1993.
Mr. Pearman is survived by his wife of 37 years; two daughters, Kathy and Kelly; and five grandchildren, Christopher, Gregory, Clinton, Danielle and Travis.
Emma V. Valentine
Private services will be held for Emma V. Valentine, who died of acute myocardial infarction Saturday, Oct. 30, 1999, in Sun City, Ariz. She was 88.
Ms. Valentine was born in Durango. She was employed as a secretary for Western Savings and Loan before her retirement.
Survivors include two sisters, Mary Pruner and Lena Thompson; and a brother, Adolph Valentine.
Elaine Mellot
A memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Mary’s Catholic Church for Elaine Mellott, a Durango restaurant and campground manager, who died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 1999, in Corvallis, Ore. She was 53.
Mrs. Mellott was born Nov. 9, 1946 in Durango to Louis and Adeline Klahn. She attended St. Columba Catholic School until 1956, when her family moved to California. Mrs. Mellott married William Steward in 1966. She then moved back to Durango to open and manage Bear Hollow Restaurant and Campground. She divorced Mr. Steward in 1977.
Mrs. Mellott managed Forest Lakes Resort and worked as a ski instructor, ski patrolman, bartender and rental shop manager. She married Ralph W. Mellott in Arboles. She managed Wit’s End Guest Ranch at Vallecito Lake until 1981. She lived and worked in Craig, Colo., until she divorced Mr. Mellott in 1998 and moved to Corvallis, Ore., to live with her mother.
Mrs. Mellott is survived by her mother, Adeline Christina Klahn of Corvallis, Ore.; her daughter, Kristi Renee Mellott of Oak Harbor, Wash.; her brothers, Louis Klahn Jr. of Oswego, Ill., Wayne Klahn of Parachute, Colo., Daniel Klahn of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., David Klahn of Corvallis, Ore., Christopher Klahn of Aviano, Italy, and Phillip Klahn of Gresham, Ore.; and sisters, Nancy Klahn of Spokane, Wash., and Kathleen O’Brien of Post Falls, Idaho.
Contributions can be made in Mrs. Mellott’s name to the Maybell Ambulance or Benton County hospice by mailing them to McHenry Funeral Home; 206 NW Fifth St., Corvallis, OR 97330.
Alvin James Long
Memorial services will be at a later date in Bayfield for Alvin James Long of New Plymouth, Idaho, who died Friday, Dec. 10, 1999, at a Payette care center in Idaho from natural causes. He was 92.
Mr. Long was born April 18, 1907, in Bayfield. He was master of many things in his lifetime – a blacksmith, logger and mechanic, among others.
Mr. Long served his country during World War II.
Mr. Long enjoyed backpacking or walking to areas few people were privileged to see, to either fish or hunt. He fished and hunted until his health no longer permitted him to do so.
He was preceded in death by his two wives, by two stepsons and by one stepdaughter.
Survivors include his daughter, Maggie Clark of New Plymouth, Idaho; two stepdaughters, Dee Sharp of Warrenton, Ore., and Gladys Garnand of Durango; three grandchildren, Kina and DeeWayne Garrett of Pendleton, Ore., and Denise Garrett of New Plymouth, Idaho; seven great-grandchildren; 13 stepgrandchildren and 15 stepgreat-grandchildren.
William C. Dunn Sr.
Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Friday at the Durango Baptist Church for William C. Dunn Sr. of Durango, who died Monday, Dec. 27, 1999, from natural causes. He was 67.
The Rev. Bob Ross will officiate.
Mr. Dunn was born April 15, 1932, in Purcell, Okla. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1955.
Mr. Dunn worked for the Department of Soil Conservation as a surveyor for 26 years, retiring in the mid-1980s. Survivors include a brother, Oliver R. Dunn of Norman, Okla.; three sisters, Betty J. Dunn and Sandra A. Dunn, both of Norman, Okla., and Debra A. Dunn of Alaska; three daughters, Tina Daniel of Phoenix, Ariz., and Elizabeth Dunn and Anna Williams, both of Durango; a son, William C. Dunn Jr. of Bayfield and seven grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the William C. Dunn Sr. Memorial Fund at the First National Bank of Durango.
Thelma Opal Berry Tate
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Allison Community Presbyterian Church for Thelma Opal Berry Tate, who died Monday, Dec. 27, 1999, in Allison after an extended illness. She was 91.
Burial will follow at Allison-Tiffany Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Allison Community Presbyterian Church Annex.
Mrs. Tate was born July 30, 1908, in Arron, Mo. She graduated from Drumright High School and attended Oklahoma City University. In April 1928, she married Arthur Francis Tate.
Mr. and Mrs. Tate were in the logging and sawmill business until 1963. In 1963, they started their auto salvage business in Bayfield, where they built their home.
Mrs. Tate lived at her home in Bayfield until three years ago, when she needed further assistance and went to live with her oldest daughter, Shirley Engler of Allison.
Mrs. Tate was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, by three sons and by one daughter.
Survivors include three sons, Thomas W. Tate and John J. Tate, both of Bayfield, and Jack L. Tate of Blanding, Utah; three daughters, Shirley Engler, Betty Swanemyr and Margaret Sutton, all of Allison; 34 grandchildren; 79 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and numerous cousins.
Memorial donations may be made in Thelma Opal Berry Tate’s name to the Allison Community Presbyterian Church, c/o Kirk Becker, Treasurer, 1720 County Road 329, Ignacio, CO 81137.
