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Nora Bancroft Mills
Funeral services for Nora Bancroft Mills, a lifelong resident of Towaoc will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church.
Interment will follow at the Towaoc Cemetery.
A visitation has been scheduled for Friday afternoon at the Ertel Memorial Chapel from1 to 5 p.m.
Nora was born on Sept. 29, 1939 in Towaoc to Harry Mills and Lizzie (Spencer) Bancroft.
She passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002 at Southwest Memorial Hospital. She was 62.
Nora enjoyed making things with her hands such as embroidery, crocheting doing beadwork and putting puzzles together.
She also had a true green thumb and took pleasure in gardening.
Reading mystery books was also a favorite pastime for Nora.
She is survived by her husband, Joe Manuel Martinez of Towaoc; her children, Jeffery Whiteskunk, Willa (Alvin Weeks) Whiteskunk, Avery (Beverly) Whiteskunk, Selwyn (Loia) Whiteskunk, Valentina (George) Begay, and Rupert (Joselina) Whiteskunk all of Towaoc. Nora's siblings, Wilbert (Florence) Mills of Ft. Duchesne, Utah, Norton (Velma) Mills Sr., Raymond (Donna) Tom, Marjorie (Jesus) Soto, and Helen Munoz all of Towaoc also survive her.
She leaves behind 22 grandchildren, many other relatives and a lot of friends.
Preceding Nora in death are her parents, her sister, Emily Tom and her brother, Miles Mills.
Memorial contributions can be made at Vectra Bank to benefit Hospice of Montezuma.
Services are under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Victor Ernest Watts
Funeral services for Victor Ernest Watts, a lifelong resident of Towaoc will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 7 at Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Cortez.
Interment will follow at the Towaoc Cemetery, with a dinner to be held after, at 3 p.m., at the Dining Hall.
Visitation has been set for 6 p.m., Sunday, with prayer services to follow at 7.
Victor was born on Feb. 5, 1953 to Wilford Watts and Maude Washington in Durango.
He passed away on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 at Southwest Memorial Hospital.
He was 48 years old.
He lived most of his life in Towaoc and during his school years, he lived and attended schools in Ignacio, Colo., San Diego, Calif., and Buena Vista, Colo.
On June 1, 1997 Victor married Jodilynn Hulligan at The Chapel in Cortez.
Together they resided in Towaoc.
Victor worked as program director for the Vocational Rehabilitation program in Towaoc.
He was also the instuctor for the DUI classes.
He was instrumental in helping tribal and community members attain training for employment.
When he wasn't working, he enjoyed traveling.
Being around family and friends is what Victor loved the most.
Victor is survived by his wife, Jodilynn Watts of Towaoc; his daughter, Melissa Watts (Gregory McCook) of Towaoc; mother, Maude Washington of Towaoc; step-father, Rudy Alire of Buena Vista; sisters, Michela (Dale) AmericanHorse of Towaoc, and Sandra Ortiz of Salt Lake City, Utah; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his father, Wilford Watts; his brothers, Wade Smith Watts, Calvin Lyle Watts, Duane Thomas Watts, Alfred Alire, and Baby Alire; his daughter, Dorissa Watts; grandmothers, Jesse Monte and Dolly Watts; and grandfathers, George Watts and Walter Washington.
Services are under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Helen Montana Thomas
A memorial service for Helen Montana Denny Thomas will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Cortez Church of Christ.
Helen was born Aug. 29, 1908, in Jardine, Mont.
She passed away Jan. 1, 2002 at the Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos, at the age of 92.
She 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.
Helen also leaves 15 grandchildren, 36 great-grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Grace (Palmer) Denny; beloved husband, Glenn Clarence Thomas; children, Louise Thomas and Glenn Thomas Jr.; three brothers, Tom Denny, Alec Denny, and Lee Denny; her sister, Emma Denny Swank; two grandchildren, Rich Ruff, and Bryon Thomas and her great-grandson, Luke McNutt.
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.
