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Michael Edward Troxell
Michael Edward Troxell died on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, after a long battle with cancer. He was 46.
Mr. Troxell was born in Grants Pass, Ore.
He attended Kit Carson Elementary School and graduated in 1976 from Hanford High School in California.
Mr. Troxell worked in the agricultural industry in Kings County, and for the last four years, he worked for Verdegaal Brothers Inc. He and his family spent seven years in Durango, where he managed a welding and gas supply company.
He served as an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Hanford, and he was very active in youth work, including serving as a Boy Scout leader and president of Durango's Future Farmers of America. Mr. Troxell was also a member of the Bayfield volunteer fire department. He was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman, and was a proud owner of two Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Mr. Troxell is survived by his wife, Lora Troxell of Hanford, Calif.; his sons, Kyle Troxell and Evan Troxell of Hanford, Calif.; his mother, Martha Carson of Hanford, Calif.; his brothers, Sam Carson and Robert Bristal of Hanford, Calif.; and a sister, Debbie Carson of Norman, Okla.
A memorial service was held on Nov. 23 in California.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Troxell Family College Fund at the Educational Employees Credit Union, 1460 N. Seventh St., Hanford, CA 93230 or the American Cancer Society.
Adam Engleman
Adam Engleman died in Little Rock, Ark., on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004, after a yearlong battle with cancer. He was 41.
He was born on Aug. 25, 1963, in Colorado City, Texas.
Mr. Engleman was a professional horse trainer who enjoyed sailing, motorcross racing, golf and gardening. He met his wife of 14 years, Cindy, through their shared interest in sailing at a sailing club in San Antonio.
"He drew people to him," said his mother Betsey Jansen. "He lived more in 41 years than most people live in 89 years."
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Engleman of Little Rock; his father, Douglas Engleman of Compton, Ark.; his mother, Betsey Jansen of Hesperus; his stepfather, David Jansen of Hesperus; a sister, Mary Mersiovsky of Electra, Texas; two brothers, Michael Engleman of Hesperus and Ryan Engleman of San Antonio; and many other relatives.
A memorial service was held Nov. 16 in Little Rock. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.
Ena Yvonne Baxter
Yvonne Baxter died Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at her home in Durango after several years of failing health. She was 75.
Mrs. Baxter was born May 4, 1929, in Stephenville, Texas, to Henry Gordon and Laura Coldiron White. She was raised in the Texas Panhandle in Friona. She met her husband, Dean Baxter, there. They were married Dec. 1, 1946. She died two weeks before their 58th anniversary.
The Baxters moved to La Plata County on Sept. 22, 1967.
Mrs. Baxter is survived by her husband, Dean Baxter; four sons: Rick Baxter and Dennis Baxter, both of Bayfield, Gordon Baxter of Durango, and Jerry Baxter of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; her brother Herald White of Daytona Beach, Fla.; 14 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by three brothers: Charles, J.G., James Lee; and one grandson, Courtney Dean Baxter.
A funeral will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Church of Christ, 2100 West Third Ave., in Durango. Mr. Gene Siemens will officiate. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Mercy, 375 E. Park Ave., Durango, CO, 81301.
Emmitt 'James' Dalton
Emmitt "James" Dalton died Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, at his home in Durango. He was 54.
Mr. Dalton was born on Oct. 26, 1950, in El Segundo, Calif., to Jim and Betty (Hucklby) Dalton. He grew up in the Saganaw/Fort Worth, Texas, area. He graduated from high school in Fort Worth.
He wanted to be a history teacher, but he was drafted into the Navy and went to Vietnam. He served in the Navy Seals.
Mr. Dalton enjoyed history. He also enjoyed American Indian lore. He was of Kiowan Indian decent.
Mr. Dalton married Amy Miller on June 16, 1996, in Crystal Beach, Texas, where they lived for seven years. They moved in December 2000 to the Durango area where he and his wife managed the Durango Regency Mobile Home Community.
"He was a good friend to everyone he knew," said his wife.
He is survived by his parents Betty and Jim Dalton, of El Segundo, Calif.; his wife, Amy Dalton, of Durango; his daughter Jessica Dalton of California; and his son J.D. Dalton, who is serving in Iraq.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Church of the Nazarene, Fellowship Hall, 435 San Juan Drive. The Rev. Cecil Brown, with the Church of the Nazarene, will officiate. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango.
Memorial contributions can be made to Nancy Hudson, 7684 Canary Road, Alexandria, MN, 56308, or Amy Dalton, 8587 County Road 141, Durango, CO, 81301.
Mr. Dalton died by suicide.
Valborg S. Thomsen and Emery R. Thomsen
Valborg S. Thomsen and Emery R. Thomsen died on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004, in a car accident near their Arizona home. Mrs. Thomsen was 80 years old and Mr. Thomsen was 79.
Mrs. Thomsen was born to Hans and Ella (Olsen) Svendsen in Tyler, Minn., on July 29, 1924. She grew up in Tyler and graduated from Tyler Public School in 1942. After high school, she worked at home, helping her father and siblings manage the farm and care for her mother. In April of 1946, she enrolled in Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis.
Mr. Thomsen was born to Thomas and Rasmine (Hansen) Thomsen in Tyler, Minn., on Aug. 20, 1925. He grew up in Tyler and graduated from Tyler High School in 1943. After high school, he stayed home to help his parents manage their farm through the end of World War II. In September 1946, he enrolled in Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomsen were married on Aug. 20, 1948, and they moved back to Tyler in the spring of 1952 to begin farming on Mr. Thomsen's home farm after his parents' retirement. For 32 years, they farmed and occasionally worked additional jobs.
Mrs. Thomsen provided part-time secretarial support for a church and several businesses and worked in the school kitchen for a number of years. Mr. Thomsen drove a school bus for 14 years and was rural mail carrier for 18 years. They retired from farming in 1984 and moved from the farm to a house in Tyler. They also began to spend winters in Surprise, Ariz., where Mrs. Thomsen's sister Shirley Christiansen and husband, Paul Christiansen, lived.
Faith, family, music and friends were central to Mrs. Thomsen's and Mr. Thomsen's lives. Both were lifelong members of Danebod Lutheran Church.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomsen are survived by their four children: Laura Stransky of Durango; Anita Young of Eden Prairie, Minn.; Joyce Stransky of Durango; and Paul Thomsen of Tyler, Minn.; five grandchildren; Mrs. Thomsen's sister Shirley Christiansen of Mill Creek, Wash.; and Mr. Thomsen's brother Marvin Thomsen of Glen Flora, Wis.
Mrs. Thomsen and Mr. Thomsen were preceded in death by their grandson, Raymond Stransky.
Funeral Services were held Nov. 12 at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minn. Burial was at Danebod Lutheran Cemetery.
Memorials can be directed to Danebod Folk School or American Diabetes Association.
Vivian Louise 'Vicki' Jeter
Vivian Louise "Vicki" Jeter died Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004, in California because of complications from minor surgery. She was 55.
Mrs. Jeter was born in Chula Vista, Calif., on Feb. 2, 1949, to Don and Wilma Daum. She grew up in La Mesa, Calif., and Campo, Calif., where she graduated from high school and from cosmetology school.
On June 8, 1968, she married Don Jeter in California. Together, they began a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning business and sheet metal business in California. Mrs. Jeter gave birth to two children, Ivy and Travis, both of Durango.
In June 1978, the family moved to Durango. Mr. and Mrs. Jeter bought Valley Welding and later established Valley Sheet Metal, which the family still owns and operates.
Mrs. Jeter enjoyed camping, gardening, decorating and just recently quilting.
"Mom gave her heart to all those she loved. I am honored to be her daughter, and my heart aches for her," said her daughter, Ivy Thorburn. She worked diligently for the business, and she was a devoted daughter, wife, mom, grandmother and friend, said her family.
Mrs. Jeter is survived by her husband, Don Jeter, of Hesperus; her mother Wilma Daum of Hesperus; her daughter Ivy Thorburn of Durango; her son Travis Jeter of Durango; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Hood Mortuary, and services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1775 Florida Road. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery after the services.
After the burial, a wake will be held at the Durango Masonic Lodge.
Paul William Adams
An outdoor enthusiast, Paul William Adams died from a brain-stem tumor on Friday, Nov. 12, 2004, at his home in Durango. He was 57.
Mr. Adams was born March 22, 1947, in San Antonio, the son of Col. Peter Paul and Elise Marie Meunnink Adams.
Summit Softwares Inc., where Mr. Adams was both president and chief executive officer, was a major part of his life. According to his employees, he was always willing to provide employment opportunities to people in fields where they could grow.
Mr. Adams incorporated music and fun into the workplace. Employees' birthdays and holidays were always celebrated with treats or by bringing the family, children and pets to work.
His leisure interests included genealogy, amateur photography and a love of the outdoors. He always found time for mountain biking, snowboarding, skiing and flying his plane.
His family said he lived and enjoyed life to the fullest, and he never lost his sense of humor. Even when ill, he would joke about "adaptive sports."
"Paul was quite knowledgeable concerning wine and was a marvelous, inventive, creative cook. He always had time to enjoy fine wine, fine food and fine company," one of Mr. Adams' sisters said.
Mr. Adams is survived by his four sisters: Barbara Streets of Bethany, Okla., Mary Kramer of Oklahoma City, Catherine Payne of Crescent, Okla., and Elizabeth Markley of Tulsa, Okla.; three nieces and two nephews.
A memorial Liturgy of Word will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Hood Mortuary. Deacon Gary Newport, with St. Columba Catholic Church, will officiate.
Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery in Oklahoma City.
Doris 'Dolly' Searcy
Doris "Dolly" Searcy, 81, died Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004, at Southwest Memorial Hospital.
Mrs. Searcy was born on Aug. 24, 1923, in Hutchinson, Kan., the daughter of Daris and Thankful Viola (Burns) Turner.
During World War II, Mrs. Searcy was a "Rosy the Riveter." She worked on the very first B-29, and eventually worked on 1,101 of these planes. She remained patriotic, and she always had a flag displayed.
Mrs. Searcy married Arthur Marion Searcy on Dec. 30, 1944, in Wichita, Kan. The Searcys lived in the Cahone area for 60 years.
She belonged to the Home Demonstration Club, and was a 4-H leader for many years. Mrs. Searcy was a seamstress, cook, gardener and artist. She had a beautiful singing voice and loved to share her talent in church. Mrs. Searcy was a storyteller with a sense of humor. She babysat numerous children through multiple generations. She was the ultimate homemaker, said her family.
Mrs. Searcy is survived by her husband, Arthur Marion Searcy, of Cahone; her children Mary Ladner of Denver; Wayne Searcy of Cahone; Eileen Markheim of Ignacio; Nila Padilla of Denver; Edna McLain of Spring Valley, Calif.; George Searcy of Denver; and Doris Leach of Murrieta, Calif.; her brother Vern Turner of Cahone; as well as an abundance of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death were her son, Charles, and her daughter, Virginia Lee.
Graveside services for Mrs. Searcy will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Cahone Cemetery, and burial will follow.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Searcy's memory with the First National Bank of Cortez.
Sterling Emens, Jr.
Sterling Emens Jr. died Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004.
He was born Aug. 13, 1926 in Fort Worth, Texas to Sterling and Lavada Patterson Emens.
He married Gloria Fay Donica on the "Bride and Groom Radio Show" in 1947.
Mr. Emens served as radioman third class in the Navy during World War II.
He was a graduate of Texas Tech University in Lubbock and attended Southern Methodist University and the University of Wisconsin.
Mr. Emens was in the banking business most of his life. He worked in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Colorado. While working, he was president of the Kiwanas, Rotary and Lion's Clubs, and active in many chambers of commerce. He was also a mason of the 32nd degree and active in his children's parent-teacher associations and Boy Scouts.
He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his family.
His family said he was a loving and kind husband, father and friend to many, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Emens is survived by his wife Gloria Fay Donica; his daughters: Susan Whitehouse of Victoria, Texas, Joanne Emens of Austin, Texas; his sons: Sterling Emens III of Montgomery, Texas, and Robert Emens of Durango; and six grandchildren.
A memorial service for family and friends was held Sunday at the Colonial Funeral Home in Victoria, Texas.
