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Linda Montle
Linda Montle died Friday, March 14, 2003, in Durango of cancer. She was 47.
Mrs. Montle was born in St. Louis on Oct. 17, 1955, to Mabel and Emery Stubblefield. She moved to Durango in March 1997 with her husband, John, upon his retirement.
She worked as a psychotherapist at Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center and as a ski instructor at Durango Mountain Resort. She was involved with the Dances of Universal Peace, Unity in Spirit and Earthrise Cooperative Community.
She is survived by her husband of Durango; her mother, Mabel Stubblefield of St. Louis; two sisters, Teresa Christian of St. Louis, and Lola Stubblefield of Arlington, Va.; two brothers, Eric Stubblefield of Union, Mo., and Virgil Stubblefield of Carbondale, Ill.; her son, Sherrid Montle of St. Louis; her stepdaughter, Karen Barnett of St. Louis; her stepson, Chris Montle of Kansas City, Kan.; four grandchildren, Courtney and R.J. Montle both of Kansas City, Kan., and Aaron and Christopher Barnett of St. Louis; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be at Hood Mortuary from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. A memorial service will be held at Fort Lewis Chapel at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Dances of Universal Peace (checks payable to Kathryn Sky), Care Australia, Earthrise Cooperative Community, Unity in Spirit or Hospice of Mercy.
A memorial service will be at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Christ the King Lutheran Church for Linda Montle.
Leonard "Ron" Ronald Beach
Leonard Ronald Beach died of cancer on Thursday, March 13, 2003, at his home in Hesperus. He was 52.
Mr. Beach was born Sept. 9, 1950, in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of Fred and Leona Beach. He graduated from Farmington High School in 1969 and from the Colorado School of Mines in 1974. He married Lanae on July 3, 1972, in Boise, Idaho. Mr. Beach was a chemical engineer and was a project manager for ARCO International, where he managed the construction of oil and gas projects worldwide. He enjoyed building boats and flying airplanes. He was raised as a Southern Baptist and attended Hesperus Baptist Church.
"He loved his God, he loved his family, he loved his country and he lived big," said his wife, Lanae Beach.
He is survived by his wife of Hesperus; his parents, Fred and Leona Beach of Fort Worth, Texas; three daughters, Angie Beach of Bayfield, Julie Anderson of Bedford, Texas, and Melissa Beach of Abilene, Texas; and two brothers, Dan Beach of Kilgore, Texas, and Clif Beach of Amarillo, Texas.
A funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. today at Hesperus Baptist Church. The Rev. Brennan Colyer, of Emmanuel Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial will occur at Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hesperus Baptist Church, Hesperus, CO.
Grover C. "Jeep" Harned
Grover C. "Jeep" Harned, a 15-year La Plata County resident and a pioneer in the music-recording industry, died Thursday, March 13, 2003, at Mercy Medical Center in Durango from pneumonia. He was 72.
Mr. Harned was born June 7, 1930, in Tulsa, Okla., to Grover and Winifred (Triplett) Harned. He was raised in Tulsa, and lived in Ashland, Ky., Dayton, Fla., Mount Vernon, Ill., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Ashville, N.C. He married Joyce Sutton, who preceded him in death in 1986.
He married Carla Kachigian on Aug. 3, 1986, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
"He was a very kind, soft-hearted, generous man, who had a passion for anything he undertook," Mrs. Harned said.
He served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant until he was discharged in June 1960. He received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Mississippi State University. He started Music Centers, Inc., a multi-million dollar music-recording equipment company, in 1955. Recording equipment he invented was used to record several gold records, including "I Feel Good," by James Brown and "Respect," by Aretha Franklin. When he sold MCI to Sony in 1982, the firm had 525 employees. He retired after the sale.
Mr. and Mrs. Harned moved to Hermosa in 1988. He enjoyed restoring Mercedes Benz automobiles and gardening. He was also an avid Miami Dolphins fan.
He is survived by his wife, Carla, of Durango; a daughter, Debra Alice Harned Lamar of Atlanta; two sons, Gary Vernon Harned of Grand Junction, and Michael Allen Harned of Durango; two grandsons, Justin Michael Harned of Boulder, and Joshua Grover of Grand Junction; three granddaughters, Robin Allison Lamar of Palo Alto, Calif., Gretchen Noel Lamar of Durango, and Heidi Joyce Lamar of Atlanta; and a step-grandson, Andrew Blaikie Williams of Grand Junction.
Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at Hood Mortuary. A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel. The Rev. Sterling Schaaf will officiate. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery.
Mr. Harned requested flowers. Memorial contributions may be made to La Plata County Humane Society, P.O. Box 2164, Durango, CO 81302.
Stanley Schemmer Day
Stanley Schemmer Day, a former Durango High School teacher, died Saturday, March 8, 2003, in San Marcos, Calif. He was 80.
Mr. Day was born on Dec. 24, 1922, in Prescott, Ariz. He was a resident of Durango from 1957 until 1969. He taught high school in Durango before moving to Southern California. He was a life member of Elks Lodge 507 in Durango and a 32nd Degree Mason.
Mr. Day was the grandson of David F. Day, founder of the Durango Democrat, one of Durango’s first newspapers. He loved to return to Durango every chance he had.
In his retirement Mr. Day enjoyed woodworking, traveling and visiting relatives and friends.
Mr. Day was preceded in death by his wife, Evie, in 1986.
He is survived by two sons, Chuck Day of Durango, and Fritz Day of Payson, Ariz.; a daughter, Kathy (Day) Ihlbrock of San Diego; and four grandchildren, Calin, Dusty, Eric and Sarah.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. today at Grace Episcopal Church in San Marcos, Calif.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.
James A. ‘Jim’ Englert
James A. "Jim" Englert died Thursday, March 6, 2003, in Durango. He was 72.
Jim Englert was born July 22, 1930, in Garden City, Kan., the son of Joseph and Rose Englert. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the 106th Air Police Squadron during the Korean War. He was a farmer and rancher in Hamilton County, Kan., for 25 years. While he lived in the Four Corners region, he was a substance-abuse counselor in La Plata County, Colo., and San Juan County, N.M. Mr. Englert enjoyed hiking, camping and driving his dune buggy. His hobbies included woodworking and restoring Volkswagens.
Mr. Englert is survived by his wife, Lois M. Englert of Cedar Hill, N.M.; three sons, Mike Englert of Aztec, Marty Englert of Denver and Andy Englert of Aztec; one daughter, Anne Englert of Farmington; four grandsons, Larry Englert, Jason Englert, Toby Englert and Matt Englert; two granddaughters, Jennifer Englert and Randi Englert; and one great-grandson, Christian Englert.
A private family service has been held.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Daily Bread, 309 W. Piñon, Farmington, NM 87401.
Mary Eva Rhodes
Mary Eva Rhodes died Saturday, March 8, 2003, at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango. She was 86.
Mrs. Rhodes was born Nov. 9, 1916, in Manassa, the daughter of Jack and Mary Ferguson. She lived her entire life in the Four Corners area.
Mrs. Rhodes attended the old Fort Lewis College in Hesperus and Weaver State College. She worked at the Strater Hotel and for the Petroleum Club for 27 years. She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary Post 4031, the Order of the Eastern Star La Plata Chapter No. 83, and the Nasaki Club that replanted trees in the Lime Creek burn area.
She is survived by her son, Francis "Jack" Rhodes of Layton, Utah; three daughters, Darlene Rhodes of Durango, Iva McCoy of Ignacio and Teri Kile of Salt Lake City; a brother, Darrel Ferguson of Ridge Crest, Calif.; 10 grandchildren, Laurie Rhodes of Layton, Utah, Matt Rhodes of Layton, Utah, Joyce Nidifer of Dove Creek, Julie Hall of Tucson, Ariz., Gigi Posey of Dallas, Brian McCoy of Merced, Calif., Chris McCoy of Durango, and Jenny Kile, Amy Kile and Rebecca Kile, all of Salt Lake City; 10 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mrs. Rhodes was preceded in death by her husband, Francis "Ole" Rhodes, and a daughter, JoEllen Rhodes.
Visitation will be from noon to 8 p.m. today at Hood Mortuary. A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bayfield. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mrs. Rhodes’ name may be sent to the First National Bank of Durango, P.O. Box 2910, Durango, CO 81302, for tree replanting in the Missionary Ridge area.
James John Sartoris
James John Sartoris, of Durango, died Monday, March 3, 2003, at Mercy Medical Center after an extended illness. He was 92.
Mr. Sartoris was born Sept. 10, 1910, in Rockvale, to John and Mary (Chiri) Sartoris, who immigrated from Italy. He attended and graduated from Florence High School in 1929. He was an athlete who participated in track, wrestling and football. He received a scholarship to attend Colorado A&M, now Colorado State University, in Fort Collins. He was named All Conference Football at Colorado A&M. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1933.
He worked as an engineer for the Work Projects Administration program in southern Colorado and became the District Engineer in Durango. The La Plata County Fairgrounds grandstand and horse barns were built while he led the Durango-area WPA operation. The grandstands and barns stood until recently, when they were demolished to make room for a new recreation center.
He married Frances Marian Erzek on July 14, 1941, in Durango, at St. Columba Catholic Church.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942, and he served in the Corps of Engineers at Fort Belvoir, Va., on the Engineering Board for Research and Development, working primarily in demolitions. He helped to develop the "snake" used in North Africa and the South Pacific. During the war, he also worked to keep the Missouri River clear of ice jams. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of captain.
He returned to Durango, and he worked with the United States Postal Service until his retirement in 1975.
"When Dad first came here in 1936, this was the only place he ever wanted to be," said his son, Jim Sartoris, of Evergreen.
He enjoyed gardening, hunting and fishing. He participated in softball and basketball with the Knights of Columbus teams in the early 1930s and 1940s. He coached a women’s slow-pitch softball team to several championships in the late 1960s and 1970s. He was a member of St. Columba’s Catholic Church, the Elks Lodge, the American Legion and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
He was preceded in death by his wife in 1990 and two sisters, Maggie Sartoris and Jenny Berta.
He is survived by a son, Jim Sartoris, of Evergreen; a daughter, Jean Whitehorn of Cañon City; three grandchildren, Aspen Sartoris, of Portland, Ore., Patrick Whitehorn, of Durango, and Katie Whitehorn, of Fort Collins; a brother, Lawrence Sartoris, of Rockvale; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Columba Catholic Church, 1830 East Second Ave. Gary Newport will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made by check payable to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, (Checks should note the Sartoris donation account.) Donations can be mailed to the Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216. Donations also can be made to the Four Corners Health Care Center Activities Department, 2911 Junction St., Durango, CO 81301.
Joe Dean ‘Joby’ Frost
Joe Dean "Joby" Frost died Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at his home in Ignacio of natural causes. He was 44.
Mr. Frost was born Jan. 15, 1959, in Durango. He attended Bacone College in Anadarko, Okla. He enjoyed motorcycling. He was an artist and some of his paintings are treasures in his family. He also enjoyed softball, baseball and the outdoors. Mr. Frost was close to his nieces and nephews and enjoyed his time with his family.
He is survived by his daughter, Christina Frost of Anadarko, Okla.; a brother, Glenn Frost of Ignacio; two sisters, Audrey Frost and Karen Gilbert, both of Ignacio; his aunt, Inez Cloud of Ignacio; his stepfather, Joe Santistevan of Ignacio; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A midnight service will be held at his home Friday, and a sunrise service will also be at his home at 6 a.m. Saturday. A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ouray Memorial Cemetery. Eddy Box Jr. and Larry Tucker will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ignacio Volunteer Emergency Squad, P.O. Box 800, Ignacio, CO 81137.
Joe Sylvian F. Martinez
Joe Sylvian F. Martinez, a former Durango resident, died Sunday, March 2, 2003, at Manor Health Care Center in Albuquerque, of natural causes. He was 83.
Mr. Martinez was born April 29, 1919, to Sylviano and Manualita Martinez. He moved to Albuquerque in 1996, a year after the death of his wife.
He enjoyed fishing, playing guitar and spending time with his family. He was a Catholic. He was a member of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Estefanita Martinez; and a son, Matthew Martinez.
He is survived by his sons Joe (Orlando) Martinez of Durango, Augustine Martinez of Albuquerque, Mario Martinez of Ohio and Rick Martinez of Albuquerque; five daughters, Betty Patno, of New Hampshire, MaryLee Maestas, of New Hampshire, Sylvia Martinez, of Massachusetts, Darlene Tura, of Okinawa, Japan, Caroline Martinez, of Albuquerque, and Mary Lou Eden, of Utah; 16 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
A mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Church, 254 East Fifth Ave. His ashes will be buried at Greenmount Cemetery. The Rev. Larry Gallegos will officiate.
Gary L. Hammons
Gary L. Hammons, a longtime Durango resident, died Sunday, March 2, 2003, in Indio, Calif. He was 72.
Memorial services are pending.
No further information was available.
Joe Dean ‘Joby’ Frost
Joe Dean "Joby" Frost died Tuesday, March 4, 2003, at his home in Ignacio of natural causes. He was 44.
Mr. Frost was born Jan. 15, 1959, in Durango. He attended Bacone College in Anadarko, Okla. He enjoyed motorcycling. He was an artist and some of his paintings are treasures in his family. He also enjoyed softball, baseball and the outdoors. Mr. Frost was close to his nieces and nephews and enjoyed his time with his family.
He is survived by his daughter, Christina Frost of Anadarko, Okla.; a brother, Glenn Frost of Ignacio; two sisters, Audrey Frost and Karen Gilbert, both of Ignacio; his aunt, Inez Cloud of Ignacio; his stepfather, Joe Santistevan of Ignacio; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A midnight service will be held at his home Friday, and a sunrise service will also be at his home at 6 a.m. Saturday. A graveside service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ouray Memorial Cemetery. Eddy Box Jr. and Larry Tucker will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Ignacio Volunteer Emergency Squad, P.O. Box 800, Ignacio, CO 81137.
