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Rosemary Richards O’Brien
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Rosemary Richards O’Brien, who died Tuesday, Dec. 7, 1999, in Durango. She was 74.
The cause of death was not available.
The Rev. Rick Calhoun will officiate. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery.
Mrs. O’Brien was born Sept. 26, 1925, in Bayfield. She married Robert William O’Brien on June 13, 1948, in Bayfield.
Mrs. O’Brien was a resident of Durango since 1940. She was the owner and operator of a private kindergarten for 20 years, and she taught first grade at Riverview Elementary School for 18 years before her retirement.
Mrs. O’Brien was a member of the Sarah Rebekah Lodge No. 20 in Durango, with whom she cooked in the Durango Soup Kitchen. She was an active member of the First United Methodist Church and participated in such activities as the Crafty Ladies.
She was also a member of the Retired School Teachers Association, participated in Project Merry Christmas, and volunteered as a Reading Buddy at Park Elementary School.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert William "Bob" O’Brien on March 14, 1989.
Survivors include two daughters, Marilynn S. O’Brien of Durango and Margaret O’Brien of Cortez; three sisters, Esther Orr of Pagosa Springs, Ilene Hammond of Thermopolis, Wyo., and Laura Jane Brown of Bloomfield, N.M.; a brother, Tom Richards of Pagosa Springs; two grandchildren, Cayley Winters of Cortez and Jordan O’Brien of Durango; and one great-granddaughter.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Park Elementary School Library, 623 East Fifth St., Durango, CO 81301.
Lois R. O’Connell
A memorial service will be held on a date to be announced for Lois R. O’Connell, an Ignacio resident, who died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999, from natural causes. She was 63.
Mrs. O’Connell was born Feb. 4, 1936, in Philadelphia. She graduated from Santa Fe High School in New Mexico in 1954. She married Rodney Leo O’Connell in Santa Fe.
Mrs. O’Connell continued her education by graduating from St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing in Santa Fe. She worked as a maintenance administrator for Mountain Bell (now U S West) in Santa Fe; Pocatello, Idaho; Durango; and Albuquerque. After working 40 years for Mountain Bell, she retired in 1995.
Mrs. O’Connell was involved in Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Rifle Association.
She is survived by two sons, Tom Gilliam of Bayfield and David Gilliam of Oakdale, Calif.; seven grandchildren, Marie, Michael, and Matthew Gilliam of Oakdale Calif., Denise and Crystal Gilliam of Durango, and Lindsey and Rodney Gilliam of Bayfield; a step-grandson, Matt Brown of Bayfield; two great-grandchildren in Durango; six sisters, Diana Fisher of Aztec; Gwen Carrano of Woodbridge, Va.; Ella Klepper of Annville, Pa.; and Edna, Grace, and Barb Breaithwaite of Cleona, Pa.; and a brother, Jim Breaithwaite of Palymyra, Pa.
Mrs. O’Connell was preceded in death by her two husbands, Charles Gilliam and Rodney O’Connell.
Contributions may be made in Mrs. O’Connell’s name to MADD, 1145 South Camino del Rio, Suite 104, P.O. Box 178, Durango 81302.
Patricia L. Kelly Clauson
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Columba Catholic Church for Patricia L. Kelly Clauson, who died Sunday, Dec. 5, 1999, in Mancos after a long battle with cancer. She was 62.
The Rev. Mike McCleary will officiate.
Mrs. Clauson was born April 24, 1937, in Davenport, Iowa. She married Robert D. Clauson in 1956 in Davenport, Iowa.
Mrs. Clauson was a homemaker until her three children graduated from high school. She then returned to school and graduated from Fort Lewis College with a certified public accounting degree. Upon receiving her degree, Mrs. Clauson worked in the accounting field as a tax accountant.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert D. Clauson in 1984.
Survivors include three children, Daniel W. Clauson of Cortez; Douglas A. Clauson of Littleton; and Laura L. Clauson of Phoenix, Ariz.; five grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 931, Durango, CO 81302.
Alta Noland
Alta Noland died Monday, Nov. 22, 1999, at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Grand Junction. She was 80.
The cause of death was not available.
Mrs. Noland was born Nov. 24, 1918, in Grand Junction. She attended Appleton grade and high schools, graduating in 1937. After Ross Business College, she was a legal secretary to Groves, Banks & Aspinall. During this time, she became a member of the Armed Services, serving as a WAC officer assistant director of security and intelligence in Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
Mrs. Noland spent a year in Korea as a Department of the Army civilian court reporter. After returning to the United States, she was employed by Wayne Aspinall as campaign manager and after his election as U.S. Representative, she served in Washington, D.C. as his secretary.
In Washington, she met James B. Noland of Durango. They were married on board ship while he was serving in the CIA in Santiago, Chile. The Nolands were stationed in Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico City. While in Ecuador, Mrs. Noland became a professional golfer and was Women’s National Champion twice.
Survivors include three children, Teri Noland of California, Michael Noland of Florida; and Patrick Noland of Grand Junction; five grandchildren; and a sister, Florence Coleman of Alabama.
Neil K. Short
A funeral will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Neil K. Short, a former local rancher, who died Sunday, Dec. 5, 1999, in Durango after a long illness. He was 75.
The Rev. Frank Kihn will officiate at services.
Mr. Short was born Oct. 23, 1924, on the family homestead ranch at Sunnyside. He graduated from Durango High School. Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy where he served from 1944 to 1946. He married Shirley Dowler on Sept. 21, 1947.
In 1949 Mr. Short joined his brothers in the operation of San Juan Implement. After the sale of the business in 1959, he worked for the Vanadium Corp. of America at the Durango smelter. He later rejoined his brothers in Short Bros. Partnership, farming and ranching in the Sunnyside and Bondad areas. Subsequently, Mr. Short owned and operated a family ranch, where he resided until the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley, of Durango; four daughters, Susie Huffman, Debbie Short, and Sandie Marlatt of Durango; and Lois Franzen of Sidney, Mont.; two sisters, Eunice Walsh, and Sandie Marlatt of Durango; three brothers, Oran, Merl and Lyle of Durango; three grandchildren, Tim, A.J., and Dustrie; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Contributions may be made to Elco Cemetery
Improvements, c/o Ruby Zink, 4181 County Road 203, Durango, CO 81301 or Hospice of Mercy Hospital, 375 E. Park Ave., Durango, Co. 81301.
Reese Parker Embres-Galligan
Private services will be held for Reese Parker Embres-Galligan, an infant who died Saturday, Dec. 4, 1999, in Durango.
He is survived by his parents, Rick and Tracy Galligan of Durango; a sister, Tanae B. Galligan of Durango, a brother, Devin F. Galligan of Durango; and grandparents, Barbara and Rene Embres of Belen, N.M., and Robert and Nancy Galligan of Albuquerque.
William L. Nobles
A viewing will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Cope Memorial Chapel in Farmington for William L. Nobles, a former teacher of vocational agriculture in Ignacio who died Dec. 1, 1999, after a lengthy illness. He was 77.
Father Dan Dailey will say the rosary after viewing. A Mass will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bloomfield with graveside military honors to be conducted at Memory Gardens. A dinner will be held at St. Mary’s Parish Hall after burial.
Mr. Nobles was born March 20, 1922, in Honey Grove, Texas. He grew up in Taos Junction, N.M., and graduated from Las Lunas High School. He was a special forces ranger in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII and was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.
After graduating from New Mexico A&M, he taught vocational agriculture in Ignacio for a number of years. He was a longtime area rancher and was also the plant operator for Plateau and Thriftway.
He was preceded in death by a son, Michael.
He is survived by his wife, Marian Nobles of Bloomfield, N.M.; son, Bill Nobles of Pagosa Springs; four daughters, Bambi Nobles of Albuquerque, Lisa Dockter of Allison, Loni J. Herring of Kirtland, N.M., and Sandi Nobles; a sister, Anne Woodward of Albuquerque; and six grandchildren, Candice Lackey, Matt and Chris Nobles, Erica and Elizabeth Herring, and John Dockter.
Dora Mae Isgar
Dora Mae Isgar died Monday, Nov. 29, 1999, in Canon City, Colo. She was 89.
The cause of death was not available.
Mrs. Isgar was born May 31, 1910, in Las Animas, Colo. She lived in Colorado all her life. She resided in the Durango area until she moved to Canon City in 1972.
Mrs. Isgar married Robert W. Isgar on Feb. 29, 1928. They owned a ranch most of their lives until moving to Canon City, where they owned and operated Isgar Mobile Home Park until retiring in 1994.
Mrs. Isgar was a homemaker. Her hobbies included crocheting, quilting and cooking for her family and friends until she became blind and then took up ceramics. She was a member of the Federation of the Blind.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jan. 30, 1994.
Survivors include her children, Aileen Allison of Norman, Okla., Dorothy Eichbaum of Prescott, Ariz., Barbara Gordon of Florence, Colo., Georgia Leach of Oklahoma and Robert C. Isgar of Lamar, Colo.; 28 grandchildren; 56 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Opal Price of Durango.
Services were held at 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at Holt Chapel of the Garden in Canon City with the Rev. Tom Staranka officiating. Burial was at 11 a.m. Dec. 3 at Greenmount Cemetery
with the Rev. Rick Calhoun officiating.
