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Donald Wayne Stickle (8/21/2005)
A popular local radio announcer, Donald Wayne Stickle died after a long battle with cancer Saturday, Aug. 20, 2005, at his home in Durango. He was 70.
Mr. Stickle was born Nov. 20, 1934, in Denver to C. Wayne and Martha Stickle. He grew up in Fort Collins, Trinidad and Durango, and graduated from Durango High School in 1953. He served in the Army during the mid-1950s.
Mr. Stickle attended Fort Lewis College, graduating in 1958, and earned his degree at the University of Colorado in 1961.
He taught school in Ignacio and worked for 20 years as a radio announcer at Durango stations KIUP and KDGO. He also worked at Fort Lewis as a facilities manager and athletic trainer, retiring in 1991.
Mr. Stickle enjoyed many hobbies, including music and tennis. He was active in the Durango Civic Players as an actor and director. He also was a member of Toastmasters, the public speaking organization, and a staunch Republican with an avid interest in politics.
"He had a great sense of humor and a tremendous loyalty to friends," said his wife, Annabel.
Mr. Stickle acted in many local productions, including "A Christmas Carol" and "Death of a Salesman." Dennis Johnson, a local actor and director who first worked with Mr. Stickle at Fort Lewis in the 1960s, said Mr. Stickle had a "very special talent" in the naturalistic style of theater that emerged with Marlon Brando and Dustin Hoffman.
"Don just naturally had an extreme ability in that particular area," Johnson said. "In the course of his local career, he was probably emulated by a number of people. He was emulated by me, too."
He is survived by his wife, Annabel Stickle of Durango; sons Bryan Stickle of Aztec, and Eric Stickle of Durango; his daughter, Cynthia Dobbs of Farmington; his sister, Sherrie White of Sweetwater, Texas; grandchildren Charity Stickle of Aztec, David and Debra Dobbs and Jesse Stickle, all of Farmington; and stepchildren Ron Plumlee of Flowery Branch, Ga., and Sharon Bergeson of Idaho Springs.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Hood Mortuary Chapel. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Fort Lewis College Foundation, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301 or the Hospice of Mercy, 375 E. Park Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Donald R. London (8/21/2005)
A beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, Donald R. London, died of a stroke Friday, Aug. 19, 2005, in Durango. He was 67.
Mr. London was born Oct. 4, 1937, in DuBois, Pa., to Samuel and Grace London.
In 1962, he married Judith B. London in Pittsburgh.
Mr. London was an artist, conservationist, Marine, storyteller and fisherman. He was happiest in the remote and wild corners of Colorado. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and an active community member.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Judy London of Lake Vallecito; daughters Grace Kelley of Oklahoma City and Megan London of Ireland; sons Bart London of Sparks, Nev., and Brian London of Oklahoma City; grandchildren Cara and Liam Kelley and Molly London of Oklahoma City, and Conner and Blake London of Sparks; and a sister, Sally Zellem of Charlottesville, Va.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Columba Catholic Church. The Rev. James Koenigsfeld will officiate.
Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Upper Pine River Fire District, of which Mr. London was a board member, at 75 S. Clover Drive, Bayfield, CO 81122.
Karen Elizabeth Eberts (8/20/2005)
After an extended illness, Karen Elizabeth Eberts, 46, died at her home in Durango on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005.
She was born to Paul and Elinor Eberts on April 14, 1959, in Ann Arbor, Mich. She grew up in the Ithaca, N.Y., area and attended Ithaca schools. Ms. Eberts was a member of the first enrollment for an alternative junior high school, Markles Flats, which was the first of its kind in the nation. After graduating from Ithaca High School, she attended Sonoma State University in Cotati, Calif., specializing in dance and design.
Throughout her childhood, she loved horses and riding for pleasure. She also loved cats. As an artist, Ms. Eberts designed and made jewelry, took fine-art photographs and created calligraphy on a professional level. Her family described her as excelling in all things beautiful.
Ms. Eberts moved to Durango in 1991 and worked in a variety of shops downtown. Her family said she would occasionally go back to Rochester, N.Y., but always returned to Durango and the sunshine.
Ms. Eberts volunteered in many community programs, including Cadence Therapeutic Riding, a local riding program for disabled children. She also was active with the Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, visiting schools to speak about bipolar disorder and alcoholism. She also was involved in creating the Critical Intervention Team with local law enforcement, which trains officers for considerate care of mentally ill patients.
She is survived by her father and stepmother, Paul and Helene Eberts of Ithaca, N.Y.; mother Elinor Eberts of Rochester, N.Y.; and stepsister Amy Vigorita of Boston.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday in Riverview Park, 29th Street and East Third Avenue. The Rev. Mary Hardy of St. Mark's Episcopal Church will officiate. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Stepping Stones, c/o Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, P.O. Box 1328, Durango, CO 81302.
Shirley Marie Rea (8/20/2005)
Shirley Marie Rea, 73, an active community member, died at Mercy Medical Center on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005. The cause of death was renal failure and complications from emphysema.
She was born to Oscar and Ruth Schoenberner Nelson on Feb. 2, 1932, in Bloomfield, Neb. Her family moved to Colorado in the early 1940s.
After she met Vernon Snodgrass in Denver, the couple married in Aztec in 1950 and moved to Tiffany, where she had lived since.
"She was always there, always ready to help anybody," said her daughter, Sharleen O'Dell. "She raised us three kids on her own for 10 years after our dad was killed in an automobile accident, and she did a great job."
She married Ralph Rea in 1980 in Durango.
Mrs. Rea worked at Ignacio ShurValu. She was a 4-H leader, a member of the Allison Grange and active in the Mercy Hospital Wellness Center for the past seven years.
She enjoyed painting in oil, mostly nature and wildlife subjects, and was a longtime exhibitor and blue-ribbon winner in the La Plata County Fair crafts division. Some of her specialties included the dressing-the-bear contest, clothing, crocheted baby goods and Afghans. This year was the first she had not competed since the mid-1970s.
Mrs. Rea was preceded in death by her husbands Vernon Snodgrass and Ralph Rea and her granddaughter, Taunya Lucero.
She is survived by daughters Sharleen O'Dell of Bloomfield, N.M., and Susan Estep of Carrollton, Texas; son Dennis Snodgrass of Ignacio; brother Ronald Nelson of Montana; sisters Lois Stanton of Oklahoma, Opal Baumgardner of Montana and Carol Nelson of Durango; and three grandchildren.
A memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. today at the Allison Community Presbyterian Church in Arboles. The Rev. Alan TeBrink will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Butch McClanahan Memorial Library, P.O. Box 866, Ignacio, CO 81137; the Allison Grange, c/o George Knoll, 91 Happy Valley Lane, Ignacio, CO 81137; or the Allison Community Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1899, Arboles, CO 81122.
Alice Janet Gustafson (8/19/2005)
Just shy of her 100th birthday, Alice Janet Gustafson, 99, died Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005, at Four Corners Health Care Center. She died of natural causes.
She was born to Henry and Anna Brandt on Aug. 28, 1905, in Pierre, S.D. She married Arnold Gustafson on Dec. 8, 1923, in Cook, Minn.
While living in Cook, Mrs. Gustafson was honored by the city as a "pioneer."
The town placed a picture of her in an outdoor park as a tribute to the community activities that she participated in during her early years. She was the first president of the Cook PTA.
After she moved to Durango in the early 1970s, Mrs. Gustafson was involved with the La Plata County Community Hospital Auxiliary for many years.
She enjoyed both vegetable and flower gardening (especially roses), needlework, crocheting and crafts. Mrs. Gustafson also liked to study and read the Bible, spend time with her grand- and great-grandchildren and cook for her son-in-law, John Necchi. He particularly liked her homemade doughnuts and cinnamon rolls.
"She truly was a pioneer," said her daughter, Elayne Necchi. "She was very tenacious and never gave up, even when life was hard. She was always busy learning and progressing, and was interested in everything."
Mrs. Gustafson was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold Gustafson, her daughter, Doris Wilkin and her great-grandson, Steven Nielsen.
She is survived by her daughters, Elayne Necchi of Durango and JoAnn Johnson of North Oaks, Minn.; sister Eveline Caddy of Upland, Calif.; six grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hood Mortuary Chapel. The Rev. Dan Straw will officiate.
Visitation will take place at Hood Mortuary prior to the funeral.
Burial will be at Cook Community Cemetery in Owens Township, Minn.
Memorial contributions for children's literature or craft books may be made to Friends of the Durango Public Library, c/o Durango Public Library, 1188 East. Second Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
Hannah Adeline Foster Cundiff (8/19/2005)
A rancher and rancher's wife, Hannah Adeline Foster Cundiff, 89, died Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005, at her home in Bayfield.
She was born to Charles Oliver and Siecke Tycksen Foster on March 25, 1916, at the family homestead six miles north of Bayfield.
She was raised on that ranch, which she called home all of her life.
She met Theo Cundiff while he was herding sheep in their area. The couple married in Aztec shortly after she turned 17 on March 29, 1933. They were happily married for 58 years until his death.
Her family said she gave birth to eight children, and was a mother or grandmother to anyone who crossed her path. The Cundiffs raised their family on several ranches.
Mrs. Cundiff was a member of the Bayfield Church of Christ, and maintained friendships with people all over the world whom she had met through her participation with the church.
She suffered from health problems throughout her life, including arthritis from her late 20s and heart problems brought on by rheumatic fever and tonsillitis during her childhood.
But no matter how she felt, her family said, she always practiced hospitality as taught to her by her grandmother and mother.
And although her health had begun to fail during the last five years, she remained happy and positive up to the time of her death.
Mrs. Cundiff enjoyed gardening and was always willing to share the fruits of her labor.
The advice she gave to her family and friends was "nothing takes the place of love, family and God."
She was preceded in death by her husband, Theo Cundiff, her daughter, Lucille Wade, and three great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Cundiff is survived by her sons, Leroy Cundiff of Durango, Ray Cundiff of Ignacio, Harvey Cundiff of Bayfield and Henry Cundiff of Weir, Texas; daughters Cecelia Smith and Lila Wade, both of Bayfield, and Linda Winkler of Claremore, Okla.; sisters Olive Bryant of Colorado Springs, and Florence Cundiff and Edna Rockett, both of Durango; brother Elmer Willmett of Durango; 24 grandchildren; 47 great-grandchildren; eight great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Hood Mortuary.
The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Bayfield Church of Christ with the Rev. Gene Chapin officiating.
Burial will follow at Crestview Cemetery in Durango.
Anna Florence Kran (8/17/2005)
A lifelong Catholic who loved the church, Anna Florence Kran, 86, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005, at Four Corners Health Care Center.
She was born to Francis and Margaret Schiebeck on Oct. 29, 1918, in Long Island, N.Y., one of nine children.
She married William Phelps in Long Island, and the couple had one son, Allen Gordon Phelps, before Mr. Phelps was killed in World War II. During the war, Mrs. Kran worked in an aircraft factory as a riveter.
In 1952, she married Eric Kran in Long Island. The couple owned a bar and a contracting business that she helped manage. After his death, she moved to Golden, where she made kidney-dialysis machines for Cobe Laboratories.
She first moved to Durango in 1980, where she worked as a chocolatier at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
"She learned how to make chocolates herself," said her daughter-in-law, Cyndi Phelps. "Every Christmas, she made sure her family and friends had plenty of chocolate."
After she retired as a chocolatier, Mrs. Kran moved to Phoenix, but returned to Durango in 1992. She enjoyed taking care of people at Tamarind Square and serving communion at St. Columba Catholic Church.
Her family said she was a loving mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Mrs. Kran is survived by her son, Allen Phelps of Oxford; sisters Marge Coward of Long Beach, Calif., Eleanor Berntsen of Tampa, Fla., and Catheryn Berntsen of Texas; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, William Phelps and Eric Kran.
A visitation will be held from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hood Mortuary. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Columba Catholic Church. The Rev. James Koenigsfeld will officiate. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery.
