Search Archived Marriage Records
Lloyd Earl Cummings
Known as "Earl the Pearl" at Hillcrest Golf Club, Lloyd Earl Cummings, 94, died Friday, Aug. 27, 2004, at Four Corners Health Care Center. The cause of death was congestive heart failure.
The future sportsman was born on Oct. 5, 1909, in Evans to Frederick Earl and Beatrice Cecilia Kaler Cummings. He grew up in Simla and Colorado Springs, completing the eighth grade. He received his G.E.D. in 1953.
A broken arm healed incorrectly, and he was rated 4-F by the military, and he hated that he couldn't enlist in the military, said his daughter Maxine Headrick.
He went to work for the Colorado State Highway Department (now known as the Colorado Department of Transportation). He worked for the department for 45 years, retiring as a maintenance foreman.
Mr. Cummings married Genevieve Sparling on Dec. 30, 1930, in Lamar. The couple lived in Fowler and Granada before moving to Durango in 1949.
"His whole life was sports," said his daughter. "He loved hunting, fishing, pitching horseshoes, slow-pitch softball, baseball and bowling. But the greatest love of his life was golf. After he retired, he even was the golf cart mechanic at Hillcrest. And he golfed his age from the age of 78 to 84," she said.
He played all those sports until he was no longer physically able, and was out on the golf course until he turned 93. And when he wasn't playing, Mr. Cummings was watching golf and baseball on television.
"When he played slow-pitch softball," she said. "I asked him, 'Is there anybody older than you on your team?' He said, 'There's nobody older than me on any team!'"
Mr. Cummings was preceded in death by his wife Genevieve Cummings.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Maxine and Virgil "V.J." Headrick of Durango; granddaughters Terri Headrick and Vicki Hagler, both of Phoenix; and grandson-in-law Danny Hagler of Phoenix.
Memorial services are pending and will be announced at a later time.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Hillcrest Junior Golf Association, 2300 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
Philip 'Phil' Shahan
Philip "Phil" Shahan died of a heart attack on Saturday, July 17, 2004, in Grand Junction. He was 57.
Mr. Shahan was born Nov. 23, 1946, in Durango to John B. and Olive K. Shahan. He attended Durango schools and graduated from Brea High School in Brea, Calif. Mr. Shahan served in the Army in Vietnam.
He was preceded in death by his sister Shirley in 1963; son, William John Shahan, and brother, Ken, both in 2001; his father, in 1988; and his mother in 2003.
Mr. Shahan is survived by his widow, Doris Shahan, and son, Grant Philip Shahan, both of Clifton; daughter, Nicole Shahan of Nevada; sisters, Jeanne Conway of Arvada, Scoop Cassel of Newport Beach, Calif., and Katheryn Tuberty of Vacaville, Calif. He also is survived by brothers Stuart Shahan of Plano, Texas, and Steven Shahan of San Jose, Calif.; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation has occurred and the cremains were interred at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction.
Victor Basilio Jacquez
Surrounded by his family, Victor Basilio Jacquez, 37, died on Aug. 3, 2004, in the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. The cause of death was not disclosed.
He was born to Johnny and Mollie V. Archuleta Jacquez on Jan. 11, 1967, in Durango. The family moved to Riverside, Calif., where Mr. Jacquez graduated from Notre Vista High School and later completed the heavy-equipment program at the College of Eastern Utah. He worked in that field for several years.
He belonged to the Price Elks Boxing Club and played city league baseball for many years.
"He had a real outgoing personality," said his sister JoAnn Naron. "He was always laughing and joking around."
He is survived by his father Johnny Jacquez and stepmother Candy Jacquez of Price, Utah; stepfather Robert Valdez of Riverside, Calif.; girlfriend Polly Hanway of Salt Lake City; brothers Edward Archuleta of Riverside, Calif., and Gabriel Jacquez of Clearfield, Utah; sisters Michelle Moreno of Hesperia, Calif., JoAnn Naron of Temecula, Calif.; Monica Valdez of Riverside, Calif., and Kimberly Sanchez of Moab, Utah; stepbrothers Johnnie Martinez and Anthony Sanchez, both of Salt Lake City; grandmother Alice Manzanares Martinez of Ignacio; grandfather Isidor Jacquez of Price, Utah; and step-grandmother Andrea Valdez of Durango.
Cremation has occurred. Burial will take place at 11 a.m. today at the Crestview Cemetery, which is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado Highway 172, also known as the Elmore’s Store Corner. Masses will be celebrated at 6 p.m. on today and at noon on Sunday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Harold Edward Kingsland
Mr. Kingsland was born on Sept. 20, 1926, to Charley and Anna (O'Neal) Kingsland in Douthat, Okla. In 1936, during the Depression, he traveled with his family to the San Joaquin Valley near Fresno, Calif. He and his brothers and sisters worked in the cotton fields and vineyards to help support their mother.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1945, working as a truck driver and military policeman stationed at Giessen in Germany. He was honorably discharged in 1947.
After his discharge, Mr. Kingsland moved to the state of Washington, where he worked as an apprentice carpenter for two years. In 1949, he moved to the Napa V alley, where he worked as a carpenter and joined the Napa Valley Carpenter's Union No. 2114. He retired as a master carpenter in 1991.
In 1954, he married Marlene Wavrik in Napa.
Mr. Kingsland coached and managed a boys baseball league in Napa. His hobbies included bowling, going to baseball games and serving as a Cub Scout leader.
Mr. Kingsland is survived by his wife Marlene Kingsland of Bayfield; sons Michael Kingsland Sr., of Aurora and Charles Kingsland of Napa, Calif.; daughter Rhonda Torres of Durango; sisters Mildred Walker of Clovis, Calif., Juanita Bull of Pasco, Wash., and Lois Harris of Fresno, Calif.; brothers Vern Kingsland of Madera, Calif., Herbert Kingsland of Pasco, Wash., and GeeBee Kingsland and Raymond Kingsland, both of Fresno, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
A Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004, at St. Columba Catholic Church. The Rev. James Koenigsfeld will officiate. Burial will be follow at Greenmount Cemetery.
Ronald E. 'Gig' Walden
A baseball coach with more than 200 victories at Durango High School, Ronald E. "Gig" Walden died Friday, Aug. 13, 2004, at St. John's Medical Center in Springfield, Ill. He was 64. He died after a long illness.
Mr. Walden was born July 19, 1940, to Richard and Sarah Watson Walden. He graduated from Charleston High School and was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in 1958. He graduated with both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in education from eastern Illinois University, Charleston, and later attended Fort Lewis College.
Mr. Walden was the youngest person ever certified to coach Little League Baseball at age 15. He never had a losing season in Little League or as head baseball coach at Charleston High School. Mr. Walden moved to Colorado in 1973. He was head baseball coach and football offensive coordinator at DHS.
"He loved the area, he loved all the kids that he coached and he had great friends there," said his daughter Kim Middleton.
While in Colorado, Mr. Walden was a scout for several Major League Baseball teams, and he worked with coaches at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University. Mr. Walden hosted several camps for the Major League Scouting Bureau and the Cincinnati Reds. He was a friend of Billy Martin, Jody Davis and many other celebrities in sports and music. He appeared in cameo parts in three movies. He was a senior-class sponsor for a class that spent 10 days in Hawaii.
Mr. Walden was a department head at Charleston High School, and he was the head of two departments at DHS. He wrote the grant for the Drivers Simulator and Range for Charleston High School. Mr. Walden wrote a new health, safety and driver-education program for Durango, and the program served as a model for state programs.
Mr. Walden started the building of three baseball fields in Durango. This allowed the city to host the Midwest Regional Baseball Tournament. He returned to Illinois in 1987 and worked as a hearing officer and recreation supervisor for the state of Illinois.
He is survived by two daughters, Kim Middleton of Liberty Lake, Wash., and Krista Lynn Walden of Kennewick, Wash.; a sister, Judy Jenkins, of Decatur, Ill.; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Jeffery and Kevin Kirk.
A memorial service was held in Charleston, Ill. Inurnment is expected to be in Durango in late September.
Clarence Lee Shilling
Clarence Lee Shilling was a talented hard-rock miner who passed his knowledge and skills on to a younger generation.
He died on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2004, at Mercy Medical Center at the age of 73. The cause of death was failing health from Alzheimer's disease.
Mr. Shilling was born on Dec. 30, 1930, in Creede. His parents were Melvin Lee and Verna Ward Shilling. Melvin Shilling was also a hard-rock miner.
Mr. Shilling graduated from Silverton High School in 1950, and went to work in the Idarado Mine. After his father, a shift boss, was killed in a mining accident, Mr. Schilling enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve during the Korean War. His job was working as an airplane mechanic on aircraft carriers.
Upon his return, he became a member of the Silverton American Legion.
He returned to his original career, working in area mines like the Idarado, Mayflower, Camp Bird, Gary-Owen and American Tunnel. Over the years, he demonstrated his mining skills and physical prowess at the Hardrocker Holiday Celebration in Silverton, where he won numerous awards and plaques. He won his last award in 1993, at the age of 62, placing third in the mucking machine competition. In 2003, his name was added to the San Juan Miners Memorial in Ouray.
He enjoyed the outdoors and excelled as a hunter and fisherman. As a young man, he helped in the construction of Lemon Dam northeast of Durango on the Florida River.
Mr. Shilling married Anna Marie Burkett on July 18, 1975, in Elko, Nev.
Six years ago, the couple returned to her family home, which is located just a mile below Lemon Dam. Together they operated Helen's Store, a longtime country mercantile establishment, which was opened by her mother in 1936 and became an area landmark.
Mr. Shilling was an avid reader and subscribed to six different newspapers. That was partly to read the sports page and work the puzzles, but also to stay informed about the people and places that were an important part of his life.
He had a loyal circle of family and friends. His pet burro "Ole" will miss the carrot sticks that Mr. Shilling brought for their daily morning visit.
Mr. Shilling was preceded in death by his stepson Stephen Davidovich.
He is survived by his wife Anna Marie Burkett Shilling; stepdaughter Yelenia McMurlyn of McCook, S.D.; stepsons George Davidovich of Paonia, Frank Davidovich of Grand Junction and William Davidovich of Evans; sisters Joyce Smart of Fresno, Calif., Jane Goff of Cortez and Ellen Hefner of Grand Junction; brothers A.J. Shilling of Fort Collins and Melvin Shilling of Denver; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from noon to 8 p.m. Monday, at Hood Mortuary. The funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at Hood Mortuary Chapel. The Rev. Myron T. Darmour will officiate. Burial will follow at Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 701 Camino del Rio, Suite 115A, Durango, CO 81301.
Opal L. Norris
Opal Norris died in Kernville, Calif., on Aug. 12, 2004. She was 77.
Mrs. Norris was born on Dec. 26, 1926, in Tulsa, Okla., to Orby and Essie Wells. She was raised in Bayfield.
After attending schools in Bayfield and Boulder, she graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Mrs. Norris retired from the California school system and pursued her love of landscape painting and gardening in Kernville, Calif.
She is survived by her daughter Patricia Norris of Kernville, Calif.; son Steven Norris of San Jose, Calif.; and brother Raymond Wells of Durango.
She was interred in a private service at Pine River Valley Cemetery in Bayfield on Aug. 19, 2004.
John Lawrence Duggan
Durango native John Lawrence Duggan died in Albuquerque on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2004, after complications from a broken hip. He was 85.
Mr. Duggan was born to William Edward and Pansy Redman Duggan on May 13, 1919, in Durango. His parents were also Durango natives. Mr. Duggan and his wife, the former Anna Mae Goulding, graduated from Durango High School in 1938. The couple married here in 1943 before he went off to World War II.
During the war he was assigned to the 92nd Infantry Division, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
While the division was primarily made up of black soldiers, the junior officers at the time were a mix of white and black. The division was on the frontlines of the Italian campaign, fighting some of Germany's elite troops. By the end of the conflict, the 12,000-man division had less than 4,000 survivors. Mr. Duggan was discharged with the rank of major.
He graduated from Notre Dame University after the war, studying on the GI Bill of Rights and working as a park ranger at Mesa Verde National Park during the summers. After he graduated, Mr. Duggan worked as an accountant for many years. He worked first in Durango, where he was the accountant at Weidman's Sawmill, and later in New Mexico.
His daughter Kathleen Holcomb remembers that when her dad was younger, he liked to climb in the Needles Mountains with his friend Mickey Brennan, but after a fall, they quickly gave up that sport. His major interest in life was his family.
"He was sort of a curmudgeon," Holcomb said. "But he was simply our dad, always there."
He was preceded in death by his wife Anna Mae Duggan; and sons Matthew Duggan and Kevin Duggan.
Mr. Duggan is survived by daughters Kathleen Holcomb of Fort Worth, Texas, and Luana Duggan of Albuquerque; sons Michael Duggan of Albuquerque, Paul Duggan of Bayfield, Mark Duggan of Farmington, and Jerry Duggan of Fort Collins; sister Virginia Koonce, who resides near Denver; and two grandchildren, Aidan Duggan and Colleen Duggan, both of Fort Collins.
A private service was held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Presbyterian Hospice Homecare, P.O. Box 26666, Albuquerque, NM 87125.
