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Thelma Hartle Garwood
uneral services for former Cortez resident Thelma Hartle Garwood will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Cortez Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Empire Street Chapel. Interment will follow at the Cortez Cemetery.
Thelma was born Oct. 25, 1917, to Arthur Ozro and Ollie Belle (Snider) Hartle in Granite, Colo. She passed away Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2003, at her daughter’s home in Jerome, Idaho. Thelma would have celebrated her 86th birthday next month.
Shortly before Thelma’s birth, her parents relocated to Colorado from Cape Girardeau, Mo. Thelma was the youngest of four children.
In July 1933, Thelma married Archie Clinton Garwood. The couple resided in the area for many years, farming at Pleasant View. They became parents of two daughters, Barbara and Marjorie.
During World War II, the family moved to San Diego where they worked in an aircraft factory for two years to help the war effort; at the same time earning enough money to buy a new tractor for their farm. Archie worked in the engineering department and Thelma was a "Rosie the Riveter." They were in San Diego when Pearl Harbor was attacked. This was extremely terrifying for them because at that time, many believed San Diego was the next target.
In addition to their farm in Pleasant View, the couple developed an irrigated farm in Nevada and lived in both states for several years. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Garwood lived in St. George, Utah, for 20 years. She then moved to Jerome to reside with her daughter, Marjorie, where she was lovingly cared for until her death.
Thelma is survived by her daughters: Barbara Kirk and husband, Dean, of Cortez; and Marjorie Wright and husband, Jay, of Jerome; 10 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband; two brothers: Harry and Lester Hartle; one sister, Hazel McCall; and two great-grandsons: Joshua Baker and Garrett Wright.
Services are under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Edria F. Murray
Funeral services for longtime Cortez resident Edria F. Murray will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Pastor Jimmy Kennedy of the Lifeway Baptist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at the Lebanon Cemetery.
Visitation has been set for Friday from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Ertel Chapel.
Edria was born at Lebanon on April 13, 1918, the daughter of Daniel Edward and Govea Lowe (Padgett) Nichols. She passed away at the Valley Inn Nursing Home Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2003, at the age of 85.
She enjoyed her time spent with Senior Citizens and was a member of the Lakeview Grange.
Surviving Edria are her brother, Lawrence Nichols of Cortez; and her sister, Norma Englehart of Albuquerque; and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Fritz Murray in 1985.
Services will be under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
Duane Laner
Duane Laner, a longtime resident of Towaoc, passed away on Sept. 20, 2003, at his residence. He was 35.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. today, Sept. 25, in The Chapel, on Highway 491 south of Cortez. Rev. Wallace Ahkeah will officiate. Interment will follow in the Towaoc cemetery.
Mr. Laner was born to Raymus Paul Laner Sr., and Sara Scott on Jan. 5, 1968, in Cortez. He attended schools in Cortez and graduated from high school here.
Mr. Laner was a carpenter and formerly employed with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park in Towaoc. He studied heavy equipment operations in Kicking Horse, Mont.
He was married to Gwendolyn Wing, who preceded him in death.
Mr. Laner enjoyed fishing, walking and drawing. He loved music and really enjoyed cooking for his friends.
Duane Lindsay Laner is survived by his mother and stepfather, Sarah Scott Hayes and Rickey Hayes; a brother, Raymus Paul Laner Jr.; sisters: Cheryl Laner, Nancy Clark Duncan, Troy Johnson, Eugena Johnson and Tina Harrison.
His grandparents are John P. Laner and Katie Deer.
He was preceded in death by his father, his wife, and his grandmother, Mary Scott.
Cortez Four Corners Funeral Chapel, Hale & Gerken is serving the family.
Gelene Lavonne McDonald
Gelene Lavonne McDonald, 78, died Friday, Sept. 19, 2003, of congestive heart failure in Durango.
Mrs. McDonald was born in Weatherby, Mo., Dec. 10, 1924, to Clarke and Essie (Noll) Dunham. She was educated in the Santa Rosa and Maysville, Mo., schools and graduated from Maysville High School at age 16 in 1941.
She left home and found a job in Kansas City, Mo., and later Falls City, Neb., where she worked during World War II.
She met her husband, Richard F. McDonald, at a USO war bonds fund-raising dance in Falls City in 1945. The couple was married after a whirlwind courtship on Jan. 19, 1946, in Pana, Ill.
With the savings from her jobs, Mrs. McDonald purchased a used Army Jeep and a 20-foot long Airstream trailer. The couple and their two young children lived in this trailer for four years while her husband attended Colorado A & M (CSU) in Ft. Collins.
A homemaker, Mrs. McDonald also lived in Denver, Dove Creek, Monte Vista and Golden. She has been a resident of Durango since 1967 where her husband was the regional supervisor for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
Mrs. McDonald’s interests included ancient, Biblical and American history, world geography, gardening, astronomy, philosophy, conservation and the environment, and global and local current events and politics. An activist, she wrote many letters and attended La Plata County Commissioners meetings as an advocate for county planning and zoning and decisions and laws advocating the preservation of wildlife habitats and corridors and open space.
Mrs. McDonald was a member of the Sarah Platt Decker chapter of the NSDAR. Her essay on the Lewis woodpecker and Clark’s nutcracker was the 2003 Colorado winner in the NSDAR national essay contest commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Expedition. She was affiliated with the Florida Mesa Presbyterian Church where she served as the pianist for more than 20 years and was active in a women’s Bible study group.
Mrs. McDonald is survived by her children: Scott Lee McDonald of Durango; Peggy A. Ford and Sally R. Lorenz of Greeley; a daughter-in-law, Paula Eppich (McDonald) Moody of Windsor, Colo.; her grandchildren: Adam Ford of Grand Junction; Bobbie J. McDonald of Aurora: a step-granddaughter, Austin Gordon of Durango, and two great-grandchildren: Jeffrey and Natalie Ford.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Ronald Dunham; her husband, and a son, Robert Starr McDonald.
Her children and grandchildren will host an informal tribute for their beloved mother at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 24, at the Florida Mesa Presbyterian Church, 1024 County Rd. 230, Durango.
Henry Spruell
Henry Spruell was born April 16, 1935, in Gymon, Okla., to Harry and Pauline (Peeler) Spruell. He passed away Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at Banner Gardens Hospice in Mesa, Ariz. He was 68.
Services will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Sept. 22, in the Bunker's Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, in Mesa. A visitation will be held at 9 a.m. in the chapel.
Hank grew up in Cortez. He retired after working as a commercial painter for years.
Henry Spruell is survived by his daughters: Donna Bailey and Vanessa Chapman; stepchildren: Nancy Dailey and Bob Monson; and four grandchildren: Rewa Bailey, Micah Bailey, Jennifer Dailey and Sharlee Chapman.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Bette Spruell; son, Dana Spruell; grandson, Shawn Bailey; brothers: James and Johnny Spruell; and sister, Zola Rice.
Memorial contributions may be made in Henry Spruell's name to the Alzheimer's Association, 1028 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85006.
Joseph Martin Juarez
Joseph Juarez, a resident of Dolores, passed away Sept. 18, 2003, at his residence. He was 72.
Per Mr. Juarez's request, no services are planned.
Cortez Four Corners Funeral Chapel, Hale & Gerken is serving the family.
Frank Karl Woyewodzic
A prayer vigil for Cortez resident and former Trinidad, Colo., resident Frank Karl Woyewodzic will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Father Thomas Munson will officiate.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Trinidad. Brother Harry Gonzales will officiate. Interment will follow at the Trinidad Catholic Cemetery.
Frank was born Jan. 26, 1910, in Laliki Tatra Mountains, Poland, to Jozef and Anna (Wojtas) Wojewodzic. He passed away Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003, at the Southwest Memorial Hospital at the age of 93.
In 1931, Frank was drafted to play professional baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He later became a member of the Consolidated Association of Railroad Employees. For 48 years Frank worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. He was also an avid fisherman and loved to garden flowers.
Frank is survived by his three nephews: Robert Woyewodzic and wife, JoAnn, of Lewis; John Thomas of Van Nuys, Calif., and Ed Woyewodzic of Richardson, Texas; his great-niece, Robin Duran and husband, Mark; great-nephews: Kelly and Chris Woyewodzic, and Chad and Steven Woyewodzic; and his great-great-niece, Samantha Duran. He leaves his sister, Emily Thomas of Van Nuys; and numerous cousins in the Denver area.
Preceding Frank in death were his parents; and his brothers, Walter Valdous Wojewodzic, Louis Wojewodzic and Edwin Jozef Woyewodzic.
Services are under the direction of the Ertel Funeral Home.
John C. Willis
John C. Willis was born Dec. 19, 1935, in Cortez to John C. and Iva (Marr) Willis. He passed away at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003, with his loving wife, Yvonne, of 28 years by his side.
Private family services will be held.
John graduated high school in Cortez and spent time in Oatman and Kingman, Ariz. He was a retired underground miner.
John is survived by his wife, Yvonne, of Grand Junction; sons: John Clyde Willis, Donald Willis and Raymond Willis, all of Cortez; daughters: Stephanie Abbath of Montrose, and Stacy Waalkens of Kingman; brother, Roy Willis of Beatty, Nev.; sister, Carol Miller of Cortez; four grandchildren; great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, and one brother, James M. Willis.
Arrangements are being handled through Callahan Edfast Mortuary.
Carl Eugene "Gene" Maslen
Services for former longtime Cortez resident Carl Eugene "Gene" Maslen are pending with the Ertel Funeral Home.
Gene was born Nov. 7, 1933, to Claud Ernest and Ruthie Jewel (Stanford) Maslen. He passed away Monday, Sept. 15, 2003, at the Glencroft Care Center in Glendale, Ariz., at the age of 69.
For further service information, contact Ertel Funeral Home at 565-3468.
