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Raymond George Ledford
Raymond George Ledford, 77, a Four Corners native, died Saturday, April 3, 2004. He died peacefully at home, south of Durango, surrounded by his family, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.
Mr. Ledford was born March 27, 1927, in Waterflow, N.M., one of many children of Ruth Parker Ledford and Charlie Ledford.
He married Margaret Brown on June 28, 1952, in Durango. They had six children.
Mr. Ledford served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a Seaman 2nd Class on the USS Salt Lake City. He was honorably discharged on May 31, 1946.
He worked for the Colorado Department of Transportation from 1963 until 1984, which included 10 years of plowing snow on Red Mountain Pass. He loved the mountains and spent a lot of time camping and hunting, his family said.
During retirement, he enjoyed farming and raising quarter horses. He was honored by the American Quarter Horse Association for 30 years of breeding quarter horses.
"Dad lived his life in the cowboy way where his word was as good as his handshake and his greatest reward was his friends and family. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends," a member of his family said.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Ledford; his children, Sherrie Catalano, David Ledford, Marshall "Hoss" Ledford and Kim Wacondo, all of Durango, Raymond Greg Ledford of Montrose and Richard Ledford of Vista, Calif.; and 12 grandchildren.
There will be a gathering in his memory this summer.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the San Juan Basin Rodeo at the First National Bank of Durango.
Vivian 'Suzy' Hixson
Vivian "Suzy" Hixson died Saturday, April 3, 2004, at her home in Delta. She was 81.
Mrs. Hixson was born on Aug. 4, 1922, on a homestead near Aztec, to Dell and Bertha (Boyce) McWilliams. She attended grade school in Aztec and graduated from Durango High School in 1940.
She worked in a flower shop until she met and married David Hixson on Nov. 30, 1941, in Reno, Nev. They lived in Sacramento, Calif., until David Hixson joined the U.S. Navy in April 1942. They then lived in San Diego and she worked at Rohr Aircraft until 1943. Mr. Hixson shipped out in March of that year, and Mrs. Hixson returned to Durango where their daughter L'Jeanne was born.
The family also lived in Dove Creek, where Mrs. Hixson worked for the Dove Creek Pressfor seven years. She also worked as the District Court Clerk. In 1960, they moved to Delta, where they owned and operated the Texaco Bulk Plant and Service Station. After closing the station, Mrs. Hixson was employed at Skyland Foods for nine years.
She was a member and past matron of the Garnet Chapter Order of Eastern Star No. 39. She was also a member of the Delta United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband on April 5, 1995; five brothers; her daughter, L'Jeanne Johnson, on May 29, 1976; and her great-grandson, Evan Johnson, on June 11, 2003.
She is survived by three grandsons, Boyd Johnson of Detroit Lake, Minn., Darrel Johnson of Mesa, Ariz., and Dell Johnson of Delta; six great-grandchildren, Olivia and Nathan Johnson of Detroit Lakes, Minn., Cassie and Bryce Johnson of Mesa, Ariz., and Emily and Derrek Johnson of Delta.
A memorial service is planned for 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 9, at the Taylor Funeral Service Chapel in Delta. Darrel Johnson will preside. Services will be performed by members of Order of Eastern Star Garnet Chapter No. 39. Services will conclude at the chapel. A private interment will take place at Delta City Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado, P.O. Box 24, Delta, CO 81416, or the Delta United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 427, Delta, CO 81416, or the Masonic and Eastern Star Building Fund, c/o Lanoia Conrad, 2215 Canal St., Austin, CO 81410.
Charles W. Carroll
Charles W. Carroll, 82, died of natural causes Monday, April 5, 2004, at his home in Durango.
Mr. Carroll was born Aug. 29, 1921, in Marion County, Ala., the son of Elmer and Ella (Garrett) Carroll. He married Betty G. Carroll on April 11, 1948, in Shreveport, La.
Mr. Carroll served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific aboard the USS Napa during World War II. He and Mrs. Carroll moved to Durango in 1971 from Shreveport. He owned and operated Carroll Motors (now Pat Murphy Motors, owned by Mr. Carroll's son-in-law) from 1971 to 1983. He enjoyed golfing and creating stained glass, and was an avid fan of country music. He was a member of B.P.O.E. Elks Lodge No. 507 of Durango.
"He was a good, honest businessman and a good husband and father. We would have celebrated our 56th anniversary on the 11th of this month," said his wife, Betty Carroll. He fought a long battle with heart trouble, she said, and it was time.
He is survived by his wife of Durango; two daughters, Jane Carroll Danneman of Powder Springs, Ga., and Jan Carroll Murphy of Durango; a son, Charles W. Carroll Jr. of Summit County; three sisters, Hazel Yarbrough of Cullman, Ala., Mildred Allen of Birmingham, Ala., and Vita Marshman of Birmingham, Ala.; seven grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 9. The Rev. Bill Postler of First Presbyterian Church will officiate. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 1161 East Third Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Betty Hurta
Betty Hurta, who lived for many years in Jal, N.M., died Thursday, March 25, 2004, at the Good Samaritan Village in Hobbs, N.M. She died of natural causes at the age of 94, said her daughter, Norma Engman.
Mrs. Hurta was born March 29, 1909, in Mesaba, Minn., the daughter of Maria and Dominic DiLorenzo. She graduated from Dawson High School in Dawson, N.M., in 1928. The following year she married Tony Hurta in Dawson on June 22, 1929.
The family moved to Jal in 1939, where they owned and operated the Modern Grocery Store until 1952.
The Hurtas were members of the St. Cecelia Catholic Church. Mr. Hurta helped build the new church in 1956 and 1957.
"She loved to work in her flower beds and making pies. She was a great cook," Norma Engman said. "She worked all her life like my dad did."
She is survived by her daughter, of Durango; three sisters, five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Hurta was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years and her son, Bob.
A rosary was said March 28 and a funeral Mass was celebrated March 29. Burial followed at the Jal Cemetery.
Memorial contributions were made to the Good Samaritan Village, Vista Care Hospice, St. Cecelia Catholic Church and Helping Hands.
Julius Elliot Cloud
The family of Julius Elliot Cloud, who died Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at his home in Ignacio, has added a wake.
The wake will be held tonight at Neil B. Cloud's home, 4231 County Road 322. It will follow the recitation of a rosary at 7 p.m. at Hood Mortuary.
Visitation will also take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Hood Mortuary. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. Burial will take place at Ouray Memorial Cemetery in Ignacio.
James Journey Goode
James Journey Goode, a lifelong resident of Montezuma County, died at his home on Sunday, March 28, 2004, at the age of 74.
Mr. Goode was born in Silome Springs, Ark., on July 8, 1929, to Velma Journey and John Ward Goode, the fifth of nine children.
He mined uranium across the Colorado Plateau during the 1950s and '60s and was owner/operator of Blasting & Mining Inc. and Haycamp Gravel until his retirement in 1991.
Mr. Goode was a member of the Episcopal Church, Cortez Elks Lodge, Cortez Men's Golf Association, and the HBPA Horsemen's Association of Phoenix.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Lenore; one daughter, Joy Harris of Tigard, Ore.; two sons, Ken Good of Cortez and Bill Goode of Cortez; four grandchildren, Jonathan Harris of Corvallis, Ore., Journey Goode of Fort Collins, and Callie and Billy Goode of Cortez; siblings Roy Goode of Mancos, Betty Adcock of Tustin, Calif., Geraldine Anderson of Montrose, Barbara Lewis of Cortez, Mary Lou James of Cortez, Robert Goode of Montrose, Judy Roseberry of Grand Junction; and many loving nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his son, Kelvin Ward Goode.
Cremation has taken place. There are no services planned. Private interment will take place at a later date.
George Coyne Thompson
George Coyne Thompson died Saturday, March 27, 2004, of natural causes in Salt Lake City. He was born Oct. 22, 1912, in Farmington to Nellie Coyne and Arthur Thompson.
Mr. Thompson graduated from Farmington High School, Fort Lewis College (Hesperus campus) and University of Colorado, Boulder. He returned to Durango after living and working in Bremerton, Wash.; Boston; Richmond, Va.; and Denver. He worked for 35 years in the insurance industry.
Mr. Thompson enjoyed hiking the 13,000- and 14,000-foot mountains of Southwest Colorado and skiing at Durango Mountain Resort. He learned to ski at age 42 and continued to ski into his 87th year. He moved to Salt Lake City in January to be near his son.
"He was an individual who loved people and interacting with people, and he thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the Durango community," said his son, Gregory Thompson.
He is survived by his son Gregory C. Thompson and grandchildren Anna Lucille and Patrick Coyne.
Mr. Thompson was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Lucille.
A funeral Mass will be said by the Rev. James Koenigfeld at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Columba Catholic Church in Durango.
Julius Elliot Cloud
Julius Elliot Cloud, who worked for many years for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, died Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at his home in Ignacio. He died at the age of 65 of natural causes, his family said.
Mr. Cloud was born Dec. 13, 1938, in Ignacio, the son of Molly and Julius Cloud.
He attended the Southern Ute Vocational Indian School, and then joined the U.S. Army at 17 during the Korean conflict.
Mr. Cloud worked at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. He raised horses and held several positions with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, including: environmental health technician at Indian Health Services, water-plant technician, ditch rider for the irrigation department and ground maintenance. He also worked for Mouache-Capote Construction as a heavy-equipment operator.
Mr. Cloud enjoyed training horses, being outdoors and traveling. Recently, he spent several years with his son near Portland, Ore.
"He loved music, laughter and dancing. He really enjoyed life," said his daughter, Lucinda Cloud.
Mr. Cloud is survived by his children: Alex Cloud of Ignacio, Lucinda Cloud of Ignacio, Lambert Cloud of Portland and Bennett Monarco of Dulce, N.M.; his grandchildren: Jayden Williams of Portland, Ore., Jay Paiz Jr., Candi Paiz and Darcy J. Paiz, all of Dulce, N.M.; his brother and sister, Neil Cloud and Reneé Cloud, both of Ignacio; his godmother, Sister Clara Manhart; several nieces and nephews and many cousins.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Ramona Armillo.
Visitation will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at Hood Mortuary. A rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Friday and a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
Burial will take place at Ouray Memorial Cemetery in Ignacio.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Mercy, 375 East Park Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Beverly Jean Hughes
Beverly Jean Hughes, a longtime resident of Cortez, died Friday, March 19, 2004, at St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs. Mrs. Hughes, who was 53, died of cancer.
She was born on Oct. 2, 1950, in Gunnison, the daughter of Ethel Mae (Smith) Muzzy and Oraly Francis Muzzy. She moved to Cortez with her family when she was 18, where she lived for many years before moving to Durango and finally to Larkspur.
Mrs. Hughes worked as a hairdresser for 30 years; she owned shops in Cortez, Castle Rock and several other Colorado towns. She enjoyed her work. She also enjoyed tole painting, making crafts and being with her family.
Mrs. Hughes is survived by her husband, Virgil Hughes of Larkspur; her children, LeAnn Chandler of Larkspur, Brad Hughes of Topeka, Kan., and Travis Hughes of Cortez; her father, Oraly Muzzy of Cortez; her brothers, Wesley Muzzy of Heber, Ariz., Danny Muzzy and Craig Muzzy, both of Cortez; her sisters, Janet Glenn, Susan Sander and Brandee Muzzy, all of Cortez; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service was held March 26. Burial followed at the Cortez Cemetery.
Ruth Mary Hanna Cline
Ruth Mary Hanna Cline died Friday, March 19, 2004, at the Durango mountain home she designed and built. She died at the age of 72 from cancer, said her daughter, Carrie Cline.
Mrs. Cline was born April 30, 1931, in Girard, Ohio, a small farm and steel town near Youngstown. She was the daughter of Carrie Ellen Miller Hanna and Myron Lewis Hanna.
She graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree in architecture. She worked as an illustrator for Strauss-Hirshberg (now Macy's) advertising department in Youngstown, drawing anything from fur coats to kitchen appliances and shoes.
She then became the art director of Albuquerque Printing Company in New Mexico in the '70s and owned her own company, Logo Graphics Plus, where she mentored her oldest daughter in the profession.
Mrs. Cline also designed and built several homes, all incorporating design elements ahead of the times. She wrote the "Gram column" for the San Juan Mountain Register(1997-98) and the Silverton Standard and the Miner(2000-02)."Her quick wit has been our pillar of strength throughout our mother's tenacious and brave battle with cancer and carries us through our time of loss," Carrie Cline said. "Mom had a gift for making people laugh. Her creativity and artistic talents enabled her to make even the most mundane something special."
Mrs. Cline is survived by her husband of 42 years, Paul O. Cline; and their daughters, Carrie Cline of Purgatory, Paula Cline of Dallas, Kris Daly of Purgatory and Katie Chavez of Colorado Springs; six grandchildren; and her sister, Janet Gaetano of Canfield, Ohio.
A celebration of life service will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Silverpick Lodge. Mrs. Cline's ashes will be placed at the Hillside Cemetery in Silverton after the snow melts.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mercy Hospice of Durango or the American Cancer Society.
