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Angel Raber
Angel Raber, of Memphis, Tenn., died Feb. 7, 2003, in Memphis of heart disease. She was 40.
Angel Raber was born Feb. 5, 1963, in Henderson, Ky., to Ulice and Laura Raber. She was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for nine years. She suffered from lupus.
"Her greatest achievement was being a caring and loving person, always opening her home and heart to those in need, although she had very little financially and her health was failing," said her sister, Jenny Raber-Land, of Durango. She enjoyed reading the Bible.
She is survived by her son, Nicholas Raber of Memphis, Tenn.; two sisters, Jenny Raber-Land of Durango, and Donna Benitone of Destin, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Cremation has occurred.
Donations may be made to St. Columba School Scholarship Fund, in care of St. Columba Catholic School, 1801 East Second Ave., Durango, CO 81301, or Alternative Horizons, 46 Suttle Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
Marion M. ‘Bud’ Burnett
Marion M. "Bud" Burnett, a former Durango resident, died Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2003, at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center in Grand Junction from an extended illness. He was 83.
"He was an avid outdoorsman, and he loved the Durango area," said Kathleene Parker, his daughter-in-law.
Mr. Burnett was born July 29, 1919, in Lamar, Colo. He married Fannie Gibbons on Feb. 5, 1941, in Lakin, Kan.
After joining the U.S. Army in May 1942, Mr. Burnett became a medic with the 23rd Infantry. He landed at Normandy and served in northern France at Ardennes, the Rhineland and in Central Europe.
After World War II, Mr. and Mrs. Burnett lived in Lamar, where Mr. Burnett worked as a mechanic. They moved to Dolores in 1954. He worked as a carpenter after they moved to Durango in 1956. He also worked as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier for 20 years in Durango, beginning in 1963. The Burnetts moved to Clifton, Colo., in 1987.
Mr. Burnett is survived by his wife, Fannie of Clifton; a daughter, Mary Kinney of Grand Junction; a son, Mel Burnett of Los Alamos, N.M.; a sister, Laretta Hanken of Larned, Kan.; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 9 a.m. Monday at McLean Funeral Home in Palisade, Colo. Graveside services will be at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, 22121 North Ave., Grand Junction, CO 80501.
Gordon Ben Strecker
Gordon Ben Strecker died Friday, Feb. 21, 2003, at his home in Durango from natural causes. He was 67.
Mr. Strecker was born June 12, 1935, in Frederick, Okla., to Ben and Leah Strecker. He attended school in Chattanooga, Okla.
He married Shirley Stuckey on July 18, 1954, in Chattanooga. Mr. and Mrs. Strecker had attended school together since they were the only two first-graders at their school in Chattanooga.
Mr. and Mrs. Strecker lived in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1969 to 1999. Mr. Strecker drove a truck there for many years.
He moved to Durango in 1999. During his retirement in Durango, he enjoyed fishing, collecting antique tractor collectibles, woodworking and spending time with his grandchildren. He also helped his son Billy build a home and do light construction work.
"There was never a doubt that his greatest joy in life was spending time with his children and grandchildren," said Jeff Brown, Mr. Strecker’s son-in-law. "He was also a master at building or repairing anything."
He is survived by his wife, Shirley of Durango; four daughters, Charlotte Brown of Durango, Elaine Allen of Fort Worth, and Beverly Brooks and Rhonda Maun, both of Missoula, Mont.; three sons, Doug Strecker of Justin, Texas, Billy Strecker of Mancos, and Doyle Strecker of Fort Worth; two sisters, Eleanor Ray of Chattanooga, Okla., and Sylvia Ford of Stillwater, Okla.; and eight grandchildren, Charles Brown of Durango, Rusty Allen of Missoula, Taylor Strecker and Travis Strecker, both of Justin, Billy Maun of El Paso, Texas, Blake Strecker of Mancos, and Katie Brown and Melissa Brooks, both of Nashville, Tenn.
A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Griffy Funeral Home Chapel in Fowler, Colo. Burial will occur at Fowler Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Mercy, 375 E. Park Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Bonnie "Scottie" Doggett
Bonnie "Scottie" Doggett died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003, from complications from a stroke. She was 64.
Mrs. Doggett was born in Fort Morgan. She grew up there, and later attended college at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where she met her husband. She went on to attain her master’s degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She taught for the Albuquerque Public Schools at Del Norte High School for more than 20 years. She served as the English Department chairwoman at Del Norte, and specialized in honors English literature. She and her husband spent many years at their summer home at Vallecito.
"Bonnie will be remembered by those who knew her as a devoted loving wife, mother and grandmother," said her daughter, Scotia Kurowski, of Santa Fe.
She is survived by her husband, Jim Doggett of Truth or Consequences, N.M., and Vallecito; two brothers; Jack and Dale Pflager, both of Fort Morgan; three daughters, Scotia Kurowski of Santa Fe, Suzanna Langowski of Colorado Springs, and Jamie Robinson of Carlsbad, Calif.; and five granddaughters, Shannon Dworczyk, Olivia and Jillian Robinson, Ariana Langowski and Ellyn Kurowski.
Information on services was not available.
Gary Grant Garner
Gary Grant Garner died Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2003, at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez. He was 46. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mr. Garner was born on Oct. 12, 1956 in Denver, the son of Lacy "Pat" Lee and Mary Lou (Armknecht) Garner.
He enjoyed golfing, boating and especially his friends. He was a member of the Cortez Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 1789; the Cortez Men’s Golf Association; a charter member of the Cortez Dry Dock Men’s Association; and a charter member of the Lake Powell Party Crew. He lived in Southwest Colorado all his life, graduating from Montezuma-Cortez High School in 1975. On Nov. 19, 1983, he married Karen Ruth (Stoll) at Cortez Primitive Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife of Cortez; his father, Pat Garner of Cortez; two sons, Joshua James Garner of Cortez, and Michael Finley of Irvine, Calif.; his siblings, Steve Garner, Patty Lackey, and Verl Garner, all of Cortez; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cortez First Baptist Church, 100 N. Market St., Cortez. Interment will follow at the Cortez Cemetery. The Rev. Ron Horne will officiate.
A potluck reception at the Lewis-Arriola Community Center for friends and family will immediately follow the services.
Memorial contributions can be made in his name at Vectra Bank, 350 W. Montezuma, Cortez, CO 81321.
Wilma Beatrice Richards
Wilma Beatrice Richards, a resident of Lewis, died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2003 at the Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos of natural causes. She was 67.
Mrs. Richards was born on Oct. 9, 1935, in Slyvan, the daughter of Murry Bryan and Mae L. Herren Gosnell. She was a registered nurse. She enjoyed gardening and watching birds.
She is survived by two daughters, Donna Richards-Ryan of Durango, and Linda Richards of Seattle, Wash.; a son, Ervin Richards of Bend, Ore.; two brothers, James Gosnell of Glenrock, Wyo., and Bill Gosnell of Beaverton, Ore.; a sister, Mary Alexander of Dolores; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A private service will take place at a later date.
Nathaniel Richard Bailey
Nathaniel Richard Bailey, a lifelong Durango resident, died Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, from injuries suffered after a boulder rolled onto him at Navajo Lake. He was 20.
Mr. Bailey was born December 14, 1982, in Durango to Don and Ruby (Saxon) Bailey.
He was a 2001 graduate of Durango High School. He loved the outdoors, and planned to buy a trailer and move to a remote part of Montana. Mr. Bailey was interested in drawing, music, writing and poetry.
He is survived by his parents, Don E. and Ruby Bailey of Durango, brother Jed Bailey of Durango, sister Denise Simpson of Long Beach, Calif., grandmother Loretta Saxon of Carson, Calif., a cousin and a niece.
A funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Cornerstone Church, 108 W. 31st Street in Durango. Ron Bernard will officiate.
Burial will occur at Florida Cemetery in Durango on County Road 225.
A memorial fund has been set up at the Bank of Durango, P.O. Drawer G, Durango, CO 81302.
The family would like to invite all to attend a reception at the Bailey home on Waters Way after burial.
W.A. ‘Bill’ Wilkinson
W.A. "Bill" Wilkinson, a longtime Durango resident, died Friday, Feb. 14, at his home in Durango, after complications from heart failure. He was 75.
Mr. Wilkinson was born March 27, 1927, in Denver to William Carr and Anne Bassett (Walton) Wilkinson. As a young man, he moved to the San Luis Valley where he met Blanche Irene Lake. They were married in Taos, N.M., in 1945. They moved to Durango in 1964.
"He was a perfectionist in everything that he did," said his son, Gary Wilkinson. "He dealt with life’s adversities with a vengeance, and you never had to guess what he was thinking.
"It made no difference whether it was how he kept his lawn or balanced his checkbook, he never accepted anything less than perfection."
Mr. Wilkinson worked for the Colorado State Highway Department for more than 25 years before retiring in 1980. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, motorcycling and snowmobiling.
Mr. Wilkinson was preceded in death by his wife.
He is survived by two sons, William C. Wilkinson and Gary L. Wilkinson, both of Durango; four grandchildren, William R. Wilkinson, Troy L. Wilkinson, Dustin L. Wilkinson and Trisha C. Reach, all of Durango; and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango. Following the service, friends are invited to join the Wilkinson family at 209 W. 28th St. for a luncheon.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to San Juan Basin Health Department., P.O. Box 140, Durango, CO 81301.
Robert Leland Zufelt
Robert Leland Zufelt died Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003, at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango from natural causes. He was 91.
Mr. Zufelt was born on April 8, 1911, in Liberty, N.M. He was raised in Kline, and he began ranching at a young age to help support his family. He worked in many of the coal mines in the Kline area. He also joined the CC Camp to work as head blacksmith, and he worked at Mesa Verde and in Grand Junction. Mr. Zufelt also did sheep-sheering and worked for the Forest Service until he was 72 years old.
He married Dagmar Marie Slade on Aug. 12, 1938, in Kline.
He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served as a counselor in the Bishopric.
He is survived by his wife, Dagmar, of Durango; two brothers, Arnold Zufelt, of Nyssa, Ore., and Harold Zufelt, of Eagar, Ariz.; two sons, Cary Zufelt, of Meridian, Idaho, and Rodney Zufelt, of Magna, Utah; a daughter, Mayona Tippets, of Magna; 19 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a son, Gary Zufelt, in 1997.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Redmesa. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the church. Burial will occur at Kline Cemetery in Kline.
Lee Bernard Sterling
Lee Bernard Sterling died Sunday, Feb. 9, 2003, in his home in Pagosa Springs of heart failure. He was 82.
Mr. Sterling was born Dec. 20, 1920, in Indiana Harbor, Ind., to Louis Sterling and Ana Catherine (Weschsler) Sterling. He was married in Highland Park, Calif., to Patricia Adams. They moved to Pagosa Springs in 1987.
He was a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps and had detached service with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He owned and managed a printing business, and became a manufacturer’s representative for business machine makers.
He was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Pagosa Springs. He was a founder of the group and recently was a member of its steering committee.
He was the founder of the Pagosa Springs Relay for Life. He enjoyed reading, politics and writing letters to the editor.
He is survived by his wife of Pagosa Springs; two daughters, Sally Sterling Salina of Atascadero, Calif., and Amy Sterling Davies of Plano, Texas; two sons, Scott Adams Sterling of Dripping Springs, Texas, and Andrew Louis Sterling of Austin; and two nephews.
A funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. today in St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church on South Pagosa Boulevard. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Pagosa Springs.
A community potluck will be held at the St. Patrick’s Parish Hall after the service. All are invited to attend and bring a dish and beverage to share.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mary Fisher Medical Clinic, Ruby Sisson Library, 811 San Juan, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147, or Planned Parenthood, 46 Suttle Drive, Durango.
