Search Archived Marriage Records
Leslie Jean Zust
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Hood Mortuary for Leslie Jean Zust, a former soccer coach, who died Wednesday, April 5, 2000, at her home in Durango. She was 50.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mary Ralph will officiate at services. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango.
Miss Zust was born Oct. 19, 1949, in Evanston, Ill., before graduating from Main West High School in Parkridge, Ill. She served as the head soccer coach in Algonquin, Ill. Miss Zust and her fiance, Will Hein, moved to Durango in June of 1999.
She is survived by a son, Tom Zust of Carbondale, Ill.; and a daughter, Tiffany Zust of Washington state.
She was preceded in death by her son Tim Zust.
Betty J. Nemecheck
A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. today at Greenmount Cemetery
for Betty J. Nemecheck, who died of natural causes Monday, April 3, 2000, in Durango. She was 71.
Mrs. Nemecheck was born July 3, 1928, in Monte Vista, Colo. She met and married Alvin Francis Nemecheck and then moved to Durango in 1948.
Mrs. Nemecheck worked as a dishwasher at a Durango truck stop. She attended the New Life Chapel Church in Durango.
Mrs. Nemecheck enjoyed crocheting, visiting with friends and camping.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Alvin Francis Nemecheck, and one daughter, Betty Jean Nemecheck.
Survivors include four sons, Marion Edwards, Richard Nemecheck and Steve Nemecheck, all of California, and Frank D. Nemecheck, of Ignacio; two daughters, Mary Ann Nemecheck and Dorothy Jean Nemecheck, both of California; a sister, Ethel Edwards, of Ashland, Kan.; and numerous grandchildren.
Mary Patricia ‘Patti’ Gurule
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Hood Mortuary Chapel for Mary Patricia "Patti" Gurule, who died Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at her home in Durango. She was 43.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mrs. Gurule was born Feb. 13, 1957, in Durango and was a lifelong resident of Durango. She graduated from Durango High School in 1975.
She married Rick Gurule on Sept. 16, 1978, in Durango. She worked with Coca Cola for 23 years.
Mrs. Gurule enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.
Survivors include her husband, Rick Gurule of Durango; three sisters, Rozanne Kelly, of Delta, Colo., Cathy Salvador, of Sparks, Nev., and Sari Snow, of Westminster, Colo.; one brother, Timm Rennecker, of Albuquerque, N.M.; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the Patrick W. Luter Cancer Center, 3801 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Toby Scarpella
A memorial gathering will be Wednesday in Santa Rita Park at Smelter Rapid for Toby Scarpella, who died in a kayaking accident Tuesday, March 7, 2000, in Washington state.
Mr. Scarpella was a Fort Lewis College graduate and a Durango kayaking instructor.
The ceremony will start at 5 p.m. and will be followed by a reception at Four Corners Riversports, located at 360 S. Camino del Rio.
Participants are invited to join in a group processional walk down the river trail from the ceremony to the reception. People are invited to bring food and beverage donations. In respect to all guests and organizers, participants are being asked to leave their dogs at home.
Chester A. Shields
Memorial services and a reception will be at 10 a.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church for Chester A. Shields, who died Sunday, April 2, 2000, at his home in Durango after suffering from advanced Parkinson’s Disease. He was 76.
Cremation will be at Hood Mortuary Crematory.
Mr. Shields was born April 18, 1923, in Olathe, Colo. His family moved to Durango in 1928. He was in the first graduating class from Smiley Junior High School. He was an avid clarinet player at the high school and was active with DeMolay.
Mr. Shields spent two years at Fort Lewis College before and after World War II. He served three years in the Army Amphibian Engineers with two years in the South Pacific. He was instrumental in establishing a Masonic Lodge in Manila during this time.
Mr. Shields received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry at Colorado A&M. He also earned a master’s degree at Harvard University in 1957 in public administration.
He married Ruth Ginter on Nov. 21, 1948. They moved to Happy Jack, Ariz., where Mr. Shields began his 31-year career with the U.S. Forest Service. They were later stationed in Mountainair, Taos and Penasco, N.M., Durango and Denver.
Mr. Shields was one of the fire crew bosses on the fire where Smokey Bear was found. He spent his last 15 years at Forest Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., the last seven of these as associate deputy chief. His duties included setting and carrying out the agency’s policies.
Mr. Shields was active with his sons’ Boy Scout troops.
The Shieldses retired to Durango in September 1978 and continued their passion in rifle and pistol competitions. They both volunteered with Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service archaeology site surveys. Mr. Shields helped organize the San Juan Mountains Association and was on the board for six years. He continued his hobby of making gunstocks and furniture. He also belonged to a local discussion group.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth, of Durango; two sons, Patrick, of Cañon City, Colo., and Paul, of Durango; his daughter, Diane Cassidy, of Durango; three grandchildren, Megan and Caitlin Cassidy and Alison Shields; two aunts and several cousins.
Memorial donations may be made to San Juan Mountains Association, P.O. Box 2261, Durango, CO 81302 or Trails 2000, P.O. Box 3868, Durango, CO 81302.
Jeffrey Todd Kittrell
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Saint Mark’s Church in Durango for Jeffrey Todd Kittrell, who died Saturday, April 1, 2000, at University Hospital in Denver after a lengthy illness. He was 43.
The cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
Flowers can be sent to the church.
Mr. Kittrell was born July 3, 1956, in Harrisburg, Va. He earned his master’s degree in counseling from Idaho State University and his bachelor’s degree in nursing from Oregon Sciences University.
Mr. Kittrell worked most of his career as a psychiatric nurse at Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
Survivors include his mother, Anna Sawyer, of Phoenix, Ariz.; his father, Archie Kittrell, of Clarkesville, Ga.; his sister, Susie Skeen, of Salmon, Idaho; his brother, Phil Kittrell, of Escondido, Calif.; his wife, Kathy Kittrell, of Durango; his son, Ben Kittrell, of Durango; and his daughter, Patty Kittrell, of Durango.
Memorial donations can be sent to the Durango Early Learning Center Scholarship Fund at 890 East Third Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
The family would prefer that cards be sent to Ben and Patty or brought to the funeral in lieu of flowers or a memorial gift.
LaVaun Fassett Wilde
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Rundus Funeral Home in Broomfield for LaVaun Fassett Wilde, a 27-year resident of the Broomfield area, who died Saturday, April 1, 2000 at her home in Broomfield. She was 85.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Burial of cremated remains will be in Crown Hill Cemetery
at a later date.
Mrs. Wilde was born June 24, 1914 in Fowler, Colo. She enjoyed being a homemaker. She was a teacher in Kansas and in Denver. She was also co-owner of the Broomfield Travel Agency.
Mrs. Wilde was active in the Broomfield Senior Center and was a member of the Republican Women Organization. She enjoyed traveling and crocheting.
She is survived by three daughters, Lucile Patterson, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Marilyn L. Wilde, of Broomfield; and Constance Pope, of Durango; a son, Frank D. Wilde, of Broomfield; a sister, Harriett Burgess, of Denver; two brothers, Harry E. Fassett and A. Bruce Fassett, of Durango; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son, Robert L. Wilde.
Contributions may be made to the Hospice of Metro Denver, 425 South Cherry St., Suite 700, Denver, CO 80246-1234.
Lawrence Charles Wakefield Jr.
Lawrence Charles Wakefield Jr., a longtime resident of western Colorado, died Thursday, March 30, 2000, in Farmington N.M. He was 59.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Services are planned for a later date. Cremation will be at Hood Mortuary Crematory.
Mr. Wakefield, Jr., was born Jan. 26, 1941, in Madison, Wis., before moving to Tomah, Wis., where he graduated from Tomah High School in 1959.
He was in Union Pipe Trades for 35 years. Mr. Wakefield enjoyed golfing, fishing and hunting, and was a diehard Green Bay Packers fan.
He is survived by his partner, Carolynn Wood of Allison, Colo.; two sons, Matt and Murray Wakefield of Grand Junction; two daughters, Jeanne Ubersox of Shullsburg, Wis., and Sherry Riley of Darlington Wis.; two sisters, Sharon Wakefield of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Kimberly Fox of Tomah; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son Lawrence Charles Wakefield III, on Oct. 28, 1982.
