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Tony R. Chavez
Tony R. Chavez died Monday, May 23, 2005, in Greeley. He was 77.
Mr. Chavez was born in 1927 to Jose Amador Chavez and Juanita Rodriguez Chavez in Ignacio.
He grew up on a farm in Carracas. Later he worked at the copper mines in Utah for many years, but eventually returned to the farm in Colorado.
During the Korean War, he was a paratrooper.
Survivors include his son, Anthony Chavez of Greeley; brothers, Joe Chavez of Farmington, Frank Chavez of Carracas, Amador Chavez of Upper Valley, Calif., brother Chris Chavez of Carracas, and Leonard Abe of Reno, Nev.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Peter and Santa Rosa in Arboles.
Burial will be at Pagosa Junction Cemetery.
Martin Allen Gibbs
A former resident of Bayfield, Martin Allen Gibbs, 67, died Monday, May 23, 2005.
Mr. Gibbs was born Dec. 11, 1937.
Survivors include his mother Jewell Landrum; children John Gibbs, Bruce Gibbs, Jason Gibbs, Carolyn Gibbs, Tamara Edwards, Kathleen Bonnell and Jackie Rakes; eight grandchildren; four brothers Butch Landrum, Bob Landrum, Dick Landrum and Jack Landrum; sister Bitty Benjamin; and several nieces, nephews and other family members.
Graveside services and burial will be held at 1 p.m. today in Bayfield.
Michael DiOrio
A former resident of Durango, Michael Jordan DiOrio, 53, died Sunday, October 24, 2005, in Greeley with his wife at his side.
He was born Oct. 16, 1951, in Caņon City to Anthony Michael and Joyce (Staggs) DiOrio.
Mr. DiOrio graduated from Caņon City High School in 1969.
He owned the Caņon Texaco for nine years, and then worked for the Greeley Gas Co. in Caņon City. In 1971, he transferred to Durango as a supervisor. While there, he met and married Linda Justice Boucher.
When Mr. DiOrio was promoted as the northern Colorado operations manager in 1997, he and his wife moved to Greeley. He retired from the Greeley Gas Co. in 2003 after working there 25 years, because he was sick with amyloid disease.
A baseball fanatic, Mr. DiOrio enjoyed playing softball in the city leagues. He loved to ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He was also involved with Habitat for Humanity, and he was a Leadership Weld County graduate.
Survivors include his wife, Linda DiOrio of Greeley; two daughters, Stacy Andrews of Caņon City and Danielle Boucher of Portland, Ore.; a son Michael DiOrio of Tulsa, Okla.; a sister Michelle Knight of Boulder City, Nev.; a brother Stephen DiOrio of Caņon City; two grandchildren; former wife, Kay Dwight DiOrio; and many nephews and friends.
Services were held in Greeley and in Caņon City with burial at Lakeside Cemetery in Caņon City. Memorial Gifts may be made to Weld County Habitat for Humanity.
Margarita Lujan
Margarita Lujan, 81, died of natural causes Friday, May 20, 2005, at Mercy Medical Center in Durango.
Mrs. Lujan was born Sept. 12, 1923, in Lumberton, N.M., the daughter of Feliepe and Theodora Valdez.
The family will remember Mrs. Lujan as someone who was always there for her family and friends no matter the cost. She enjoyed cooking, sewing and gardening. During the holidays, she had a cook-off for family and friends. She valued time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For relaxation, she enjoyed watching Westerns.
She was preceded in death by her husband Max Lujan, Sr., and an infant daughter.
Survivors include her children, Mary Fernandez, Darla Lujan, Max Lujan, Jr., Ted Valdez, Gene Lujan, and Orlando Lujan, all of Durango; eleven grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members.
A visitation will be held at Hood Mortuary from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday. A rosary will be said at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Rev. Antonio Flores of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will officiate. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango.
Funeral donations are appreciated. They can be dropped off at the Lujan home at 318 East Third Ave.
Russell W. Barr
Russell Barr died Friday, May 20, 2005, on his 95th birthday, at his home in Farmington.
Mr. Barr was born May 20, 1910 in Marvel.
On July 5, 1929, he married Elizabeth "Libby" Grommet. After she died, he married Jayne True, and after her death, he married Alice Spickelmier.
For many years, Mr. Barr farmed in Marvel. He and a partner drilled water wells in the Four Corners area. When he and Libby moved to California in 1956, he worked in the oilfields.
Mr. Barr was a devoted husband, wonderful father, and a trusted and faithful friend, said his family.
Survivors include his wife, Alice of Farmington; his daughter Mary Elizabeth Stidham of Tranquillity, Calif.; his son Kenneth Barr of Riverside, Calif.; and his son Donald Barr of Paradise, Calif.; seven grandsons, two granddaughters and eight great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 31, at the Marvel Methodist Church.
William Edward Thorsby
William Edward Thorsby, 44, died Sunday, May 22, 2005 at Mercy Medical Center in Durango.
Mr. Thorsby was born Dec. 29, 1960, in Phoenix, the son of Harold and Marion (Christ) Thorsby.
He grew up in the Phoenix area and graduated from Thunderbird High School in 1979, the same year he married Jeannette Cortese.
He served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy and also served an additional eight years with the National Guard. Between his time in the service and after, Mr. Thorsby worked as an electrician.
He enjoyed carpentry, playing golf and hunting.
Survivors include his wife; son Nicholas Thorsby of Durango; son Andrew Thorsby of Durango; son Kristofer Thorsby of Durango; brother Bruce Thorsby of Durango; brother Doug Thorsby of Belleville, Mich.; brother Richard Thorsby; and numerous other relatives.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at his family home at 891 County Road 234 in Durango. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Mr. Thorsby's family, 891 County Road 234, Durango, CO, 81301.
Floyd A. Cochran
Floyd A. Cochran, a Durangoan for about a half-century, died Saturday, May 21, 2005, in Farmington. He was 91.
Mr. Cochran was born March 21, 1914, in Arkansas City, Kan., to George and Merle Cochran. He graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1933 and married high school sweetheart Euleen Winn on Nov. 1, 1934.
In the early 1940s Mr. Cochran moved his family to Durango, where he owned and operated Mesa Verde Outdoor Advertising for more than 30 years.
Mr. Cochran was active in the Masonic Lodge, Presbyterian Church, Independent Order of Oddfellows and the Rose Society. He took pride in his roses, and had more than 140 in his yard while living in Durango. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran moved to Farmington in 1993 to escape the heavy snows.
Mr. Cochran was preceded in death by his wife in 1996, their son Norman "Whitey" Cochran in 1968 and his companion of the last several years, Helen Evans, in 2004.
He is survived by his children, Jerry Cochran of Farmington and Vicki Hickman of Durango, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be conducted by the Rev. Mike Darmour and Durango Masonic Lodge No. 48 at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango. In lieu of flowers, make memorial contributions to Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 3367-1460.
Sara Emily Coltharp Fletcher
Sara Emily Coltharp Fletcher, a former Durango area resident for many years, died May 15, 2005, in Grants, N.M. She was 92. No cause of death was given.
Mrs. Fletcher was born July 7, 1912, to John B. and Nora Coltharp in Farwell, Texas.
She spent much of her childhood in Texico, N.M., where her father owned and operated the local meat market and her mother established a bakery.
She learned to play the piano at an early age and as a teenager played at the local theater when silent movies were exhibited.
Mrs. Fletcher attended New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, N.M. She graduated with a teaching certificate.
Her first teaching assignment was in Yeso, N.M., where she met rancher Andrew R. Fletcher.
The couple married in Roswell, N.M.
Later, the couple moved to Colorado, where they bought a ranch on the Florida Mesa and became active in the community.
Mrs. Fletcher taught at St. Columba's Catholic School, Florida Mesa Elementary School and Sunnyside Elementary School. Her husband was elected county commissioner.
When they retired, the couple moved to St. David, Ariz. In 2001, Mrs. Fletcher moved to Grants, N.M.
Mrs. Fletcher is survived by her children, Emily J. Chilton of Bloomfield, N.M., Cheryl F. Morris of Grants, N.M., Lt. Col. James R. Fletcher and John A. Fletcher of Cortez. She also is survived by grandchildren Andy Chilton, Emily Ann Adair, Charlotte Brown, John Chilton, Joseph Rhodes, Audrey Jacquez, Patrick Rhodes, Charles Rhodes, Ralph Rhodes, Shawn Fletcher and Melissa Huff. Twenty-four great-grandchildren also survive Mrs. Fletcher.
She was preceded in death by her husband, sister Gladys Dommert and brother Lonnie Coltharp.
A Mass in celebration of Mrs. Fletcher is scheduled at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Teresa's Catholic Church, 500 E. High St., Grants, N.M.
In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 8201 Golf Course Road NW #D3 PMB 295, Albuquerque, NM 87120.
Ronald Neal Peterson
Ronald Neal Peterson, a native of Durango, died Thursday, May 19, 2005, of lung cancer in Scottsville, Va. He was 55.
Mr. Peterson was born in Durango on Feb. 16, 1950.
He served in the Navy for 21 years as an acoustics intelligence specialist. Later he worked in Scottsville.
He loved his family, fishing, football, crossword puzzles and his sports cars.
Mr. Peterson is survived by his wife, Devi Peterson; children Baccho Umbertis, Natasha Umbertis, Nathan Peterson, Mikiah Umbertis and Seth Peterson. He also is survived by sister Linda Peterson and brother Don Peterson, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled at 3 p.m. today at Thacker Brothers Funeral Home, Scottsville, Va. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Scottsville Fire Department, P.O. Box 381, Scottsville, VA 24590 or the Scottsville Rescue Squad, P.O. 33, Scottsville, VA 24590.
Marva Dean Connell
Marva Dean Connell, 74, died while surrounded by her family on Friday, May 20, 2005.
Mrs. Connell was born Nov. 5, 1930, in Pagosa Springs, the daughter of James and Violet (Dunn) Burt.
Survivors include her brother Norman Burt of Durango; son Patrick Carman of Durango; daughter Nancy Smith of Acton, Calif.; daughter Melodi Gallegos of Durango; daughter Jodi Fisher of Durango; daughter Keli Jackson of Durango; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, and her grandson Cody Jackson.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday at Rotary Park in Durango. Chaplain JoAnn Armstrong of Mercy Medical Center will officiate. A potluck will follow. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango.
