Search Archived Marriage Records
Helen Montana Thomas
Helen Montana Thomas was born Aug. 29, 1909, in Jardine, Mont., to Arthur and Grace (Palmer) Denny. She passesd away Jan. 1, 2002, at the Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos. She was 92.
On March 3, 1930, in Dolores, Helen married her sweetheart, Glenn Clarence Thomas. She was a dedicated homemaker and an active member of the Church of Christ.
Helen is survived by her children, James (Mabel) Thomas of Eloy, Ariz., Art (Shirley) Thomas of Cortez, Lynne (Archer) Swank of Casper, Wyo., Gerald (Shirley) Thomas of Eloy, Ariz., Gayle (Ed) McNutt of Cortez and Stanley (Jeanne) Thomas of Tucson, Ariz.
Her siblings, Wayne (Viola) Denny, Dorothy Roatcap, Willard (Agnes) Denny, Shirley (Jim) Hunt, and Lawson (Lanore) Denny, also survive her. Helen also leaves 15 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband, Glenn; two children, Louise Thomas and Glenn Thomas Jr.; three brothers, Tom Denny, Alec Denny, and Lee Denny; her sister, Emma Denny Swank; two grandchildren and a great-grandson.
No services have been scheduled. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being handled through the Ertel Funeral Home.
Bessie Edith Hinton
Funeral services for Bessie Edith Hinton, a lifelong resident of this area,
will be held on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002, at the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints in Cortez at 1:30 p.m. Interment will follow at the Cortez
Cemetery.
Visitation has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at the Ertel Memorial
Chapel from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Bessie was born to Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Murphy) Stiles on Jan. 15,
1908, in Beulah, Colo. She passed away on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2001 at the
Vista Grande Nursing Home in Cortez. Bessie was 93 years old.
On Aug. 5, 1926, in Cortez, Bessie became the bride of Rudy David Hinton.
Bessie worked throughout the years within the Cortez area, retiring in 1969
She loved being with her family and enjoyed walking and eating out.
Crocheting, gardening and going to church activities were all pastimes
Bessie took pleasure in.
She is survived by her children; Arveda Bruce, Harold (Freeda) Hinton, Dale
(LaVerne) Hinton, Jerry (Vonita) Hinton, Betty Risenhoover, Rick (Murna)
Hinton; and foster-son, Melvin Belveal. Two sisters, Dorothy Smith and Ruth
Mangel; and a sister-in-law, Alma Stiles, also survive Bessie.
She also leaves 24 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, and 24
great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Bessie's parents
and her beloved husband, Rudy, precede her in death.
Services are under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Charles "Chuck" Gonzales
Funeral services for Charles Elasario "Chuck" Gonzales, a former resident of
Mancos, will be held Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002, at St. Rita's Catholic Church
at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Father Kevin
Novack will officiate.
Rosary services have been set for Tuesday evening at the Ertel Memorial
Chapel at 6 p.m.
Chuck was born to Jake Felipe and Helen (Lujan) Gonzales in Monte Vista,
Colo., on Dec. 30, 1940. He passed away at his home in Kirtland, N.M., on
Thursday, Dec. 27, 2001, at the age of 60.
Chuck grew up in Mancos and in his early years was a barber. He loved being
outdoors fishing and hunting. His children, grandchildren and family were
his greatest treasure and he loved the time spent with them.
Surviving Chuck is his mother, Helen Gonzales of Mancos; his children,
Margaret (Tom) Maestas of Mancos, Charles M. (Marquita) Gonzales Jr. of
Bayfield, Colo., and Jennifer (Isais) Lopez of Durango, Colo.; and his seven
grandchildren, Brian and Stephanie Maestas of Mancos, Tristan and Kyra
Gonzales of Bayfield, and Taylor, Teagan, and Tarynn Lopez of Durango.
He also leaves behind his brothers and sisters, Fred Gonzales of Oxford,
Colo., Don Gonzales of Mancos, Gerald Gonzales of Farmington, N.M., Vera
Cardenas of Aztec, N.M., Dorothy Lopez of Cortez, and Rae Leon of Mancos.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Marie Gonzales; and brothers, Jake
Gonzales Jr. and Joe Gonzales.
Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Charles E. "Chuck" Gonzales
with the First National Bank, Mancos branch. Services will be under the
direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Owen F. Burnham
Word was received on Dec. 30, 2001, that Owen F. Burnham had passed away at
his home in Hayward, Calif. Services are pending. Burnham was born and
raised in Mancos.
Genevieve Eppich
Funeral services for Genevieve Eppich will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Dec. 31, at St. Rita's Catholic Church in Mancos. Interment will follow at the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Rosary services will be Sunday at 6 p.m., also at St. Rita's.
Genevieve was born on Dec. 24, 1919, in Thompson Park, Colo., to Frank and Florence (Jones-Mahan) Sponsel. She passed away on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2001, at her home in Thompson Park. She was 82.
She was a third-generation rancher whose family homesteaded the ranch that has been in their family for 114 years.
Genevieve is survived by her children, Mary Rita (Robert) Simmons of Lamar, Colo., Helen (Mark) Cernich of Phoenix, Ariz., Pauline (Les) Moody of Windsor, Colo., Tom Eppich of Thompson Park, Colo., Linda (Dan) Archibeque of Mancos, Theresa (Davin) Montoya of Hesperus, Colo., and Gary (Kathy) Eppich of Stafford, Va.
She also leaves seven granddaughters, seven grandsons, and two great-granddaughters. Four sisters and three brothers also survive Genevieve.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George, son Joseph, grandson Dustin Eppich, and sister Ruth Bartel.
Memorial contributions can be made with St. Rita's Catholic Church.
Services will be under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Michelle (Phillips) Lucero
Michelle (Phillips) Lucero, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Paulson and the late George "Bill" Phillips, passed away as the result of an automobile accident on Dec. 26, 2001, in Santa Fe, N.M.
Michelle was born in Cortez. Survivors include her mother and stepfather; husband; daughter, Rachel; sister, Jeanette (Phillips) Schnell and her family, and many friends.
A memorial fund has been set up in Michelle’s name, partly to benefit her husband and daughter, who were injured in the same accident.
Donations may be made at both the Cortez and Dolores branches of the Dolores State Bank.
Services are pending.
Daniel Austin Bryant
Services for Daniel "Danny" Austin Bryant of Nucla, Colo., will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 29, at the First Baptist Church of Dove Creek. Pastor Don Smith will officiate. Interment will follow in the Fairview Cemetery
in Yellow Jacket, with graveside services conducted by Pastor Cy McKinney.
Danny was born to James Roland and Rose Lee Bryant on May 21, 1960, in Durango. He passed away on Dec. 23, 2001, as the result of an automobile accident near Uravan, Colo. He was 41.
Danny attended schools in Dolores County and graduated from high school. He continued his education in computer, welding and drilling skills, and had lived in the area for 35 years. He worked as a driller, a truck driver, and on fishing boats in Wyoming, Colorado and Washington.
Danny was baptized by the Rev. Mark Shore in the First Baptist Church of Dove Creek. He was most recently a member of the Christian Fellowship in Redvale, Colo.
He was formerly married to Durana Lynn Collom, who now lives in Bakersfield, Calif.
On Oct. 9, 2001, he married Carolyn Lee Roberts in Nucla.
Danny is survived by his wife, Carolyn, of Nucla; mother, Rose, of Dove Creek; sons, Thomas and Jerry Basco of Boise, Idaho, and Derek May of Aztec, N.M.; daughters Jeannie Marie Bryant Heatherington and Jessica Bryant Dennison, both of Cortez; brother, William Bass of Cortez; sister, Pauline Fulks, also of Cortez; three grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Jacqulyn Rose Bryant and his brother, James Bryant.
Memorial contributions may be made to Citizens State Bank of Cortez, 77 W. Main St., Cortez, CO 81321.
Cortez Four Corners Funeral Chapel, Hale and Gerken, are serving the family.
Mate Elizabeth Cabell
Funeral services for Mate Elizabeth Cabell will be held on Saturday, Dec. 29, at the First United Methodist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah with burial to follow at the Larkin Sunset Lawn Cemetery.
Mate was born in rural Burlington, Colo. on May 13, 1905 to Samuel and Gertie Westbrook (Taylor) Morrow. She passed away at the Mesa View Retirement Center in Cortez on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2001 at the age of 96.
Raised in the Burlington area, Mate married Roy Edward Cabell on the family farm on June 15, 1930. She was an active woman dedicating her life and service to the Methodist Church through the church's many organizations. She was also very involved in the United Nations and had the opportunity to met with President Kennedy, which was a major highlight of her life.
Mate, beloved mother and grandmother, is survived by her son, Ed and his wife, LaVerne Cabell, of Cortez, and daughter Ruth Ann Settles of Abbyville, S.C.; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; and by her sister, Gertrude Caudell of Redmond, Ore.
Local arrangements are being made through the Ertel Funeral Home.
Sherwin Zac Lansing
Sherwin Zac Lansing of Towaoc was born to Stacy and Yvonne Lansing on Aug. 4, 1974, in Cortez. He passed away on Dec. 25, 2001, at the Mercy Medical Center in Durango, at the age of 27.
Funeral services were held Dec. 28 at Cortez Four Corners Funeral Chapel. Terry Knight officiated. Interment followed at the Towaoc Cemetery.
Zac, as he preferred to be called, graduated from Montezuma-Cortez High School. He was a track star and earned a letter in cross-country. He placed in the Mesa Verde Run. Zac was also a Gourd Dancer, and was taught by his grandfather, Ernest Bearshead.
Zac was formerly employed by the Ute Mountain Casino in Towaoc, and worked for Read Bear Construction Company in Ignacio, Colo. He was also a certified welder, trained at Weeminuche Construction Company of Towaoc.
Sherwin Zac Lansing is survived by his parents; sister Mollett and brother Dave Astor, of Towaoc; grandfather Ernest Bearshead of Tulsa, Okla., and his loving friend, Sandy Ogeen of Ignacio.
He is also survived by his uncles, Paul Fields, Norman Lansing, Nubz Norman Herbert, Sam Lansing and Fred Keelick; aunts, Melody Fields, Cynthia Keelick, Shirley Deer, Wanda Deer and Cleo Whitebuffalo, and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his son, Colby James Lansing.
Clayton Melby
Funeral services for Clayton M. Melby will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 29, at the Trinity Lutheran Church. Interment will follow at the Cortez Cemetery. Pastor David Dahl will officiate.
Visitation has been scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Ertel Memorial Chapel from 2 to 4 p.m.
Clayton was born on June 18, 1923 to Ingval Arvid and Agnes Genevieve (Clemenson) Melby in Fargo, N.D. He passed away on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2001, at the Southwest Memorial Hospital. He was 78.
After deciding to serve his country, Clayton joined the Navy where he was stationed in the Pacific.
On Sept. 2, 1948 Clayton married his sweetheart, Patricia Lee, in Fargo, N.D.
He was a professional man who worked hard as an architectural designer. He was the president and C.E.O. of Montezuma Mortgage, and was part of the Laborers for Christ. He designed and helped construct churches in the United States, and Russia. A member of the Chamber of Commerce, and Planning & Zoning Economic Development Commission, Clayton remained an icon in his community. He was also an avid golfer, and an active member of the Trinity Lutheran Church.
Clayton is survived by his beloved wife of 53 years, Pat Melby of Cortez; and his children, Lisa (Ralph) Wegner of Cortez, Chris (Barb) Melby of Fort Collins, Colo., Peter (Reta) Melby of San Antonio, Tex., Sara (Kelly) McCabe of Cortez, Tina (Lou) Killean of Cortez, and David (Karine) Melby of Hopkins, Minn. He also leaves behind 16 grandchildren, Katie McCabe, Brianna McCabe, Bryson McCabe, Hannah Melby, Caleb Melby, Rachel Melby, Rebekah Melby, Lydia Melby, Anna Melby, Daniel Melby, Sarah Melby, Abigail Melby, Jordan Carter, Brett Carter, Mattie Killean, and Karsten Killean; and his one great-grandchild, Kieran; and his brother Arvid (Helen) Melby of Englewood, Fla.
Contributions can be made to the Clayton Melby Memorial Fund at the Trinity Lutheran Church 208 N. Dolores Road Cortez, CO 81321.
