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James Patrick Olson (12/13/2005)
A memorial service for James Patrick Olson, who died Monday, Nov. 28, 2005, will be held in Schneider Park at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2005. The service will be followed by a Christmas potluck, and attendees are asked to bring a dish.
Paula Daciuk (12/13/2005)
The funeral for Paula Dacluk will be held at 1:30 p.m. today, Dec. 13, 2005, at St. Columba Catholic Church.
Walter Lawrence Medina (12/13/2005)
Musician Walter Lawrence Medina, 40, died at his home in Durango on Friday, Dec. 9, 2005. The cause of death was undetermined.
He was born in Durango to Walter and Cordy Medina on May 26, 1965.
Mr. Medina graduated from Durango High School in 1983 and went on to attend two years at Fort Lewis College. He worked as a carpenter for many years.
He was known for his musical talents. His family said writing music and playing his guitar were his passions. Mr. Medina also enjoyed riding his bike, fishing and spending time with friends and family.
Mr. Medina is survived by his mother, Cordy Medina, of Durango; children Jenna Horrocks of Mancos, and Natasha Medina and Walter Donovan Medina, of Cortez; brother Rick Medina of Durango; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
The rosary will be recited at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 5 p.m. today, Dec. 13, 2005. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005, also at Sacred Heart. Burial will follow at the La Posta Cemetery.
Doreen J. Wysocki (12/13/2005)
The mother of Durango resident Ronald Wysocki, Doreen J. Wysocki, 77, died in Albuquerque on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2005.
She was born on April 21, 1928 in Flint, Mich.
Mrs. Wysocki was a homemaker who retired from the Singer Co. Her family said her interests included reading, cross-stitching and crafts, as well as giving to others.
Mrs. Wysocki was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Wysocki.
She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia; sons Randy, Richard, Russell, Robert and Ronald; sisters Darlene and Diane; brother, Edward; and numerous grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
A funeral was held at the French Mortuary Chapel in Albuquerque on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005.
Margaret Cherry Campbell (12/10/2005)
Cortez resident Margaret Cherry Campbell, 87, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, in Cortez.
She was born on July 17, 1918, to John and Mathilda Margaret (Simpson) Kerr in Glasgow, Scotland.
During World War II she met Hesperus native Joe Campbell, who was serving in the British Isles. She became a war bride, marrying him in Topeka, Kan., on Oct. 27, 1946.
Her husband was an architect for Superior Oil Co. and Mrs. Campbell spent her career as an administrative assistant for the Pima County program for the elderly in Tucson, Ariz.
She enjoyed painting, art and lapidary work, often polishing stones for jewelry that her husband made.
Mrs. Campbell was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Campbell.
She is survived by her brother, Cecil Hubbs of Farmington; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Redmesa. Bishop Trent Taylor will officiate. Burial will follow at the Marvel Cemetery.
Phyllis Ann Simonet (12/10/2005)
Colorado native Phyllis Ann Simonet, 56, died Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, in Durango. The cause of death was cancer.
She was born Jan. 24, 1949, in Denver to Lester and Emily Bright. After graduating from high school, she attended college in Colorado as well.
She married Donald George Simonet on June 7, 1994, in Durango. Mrs. Simonet worked at Mercy Medical Center for 15 years as a laboratory technician. She founded a business from her home called Rocky Mountain Fire Starters, which allowed her to travel.
“She simply loved people and helping others,” said her son, J.C. Jones. “As a result of her business travels, she was able to touch the hearts of both Durangoans and people elsewhere.” Mrs. Simonet enjoyed skiing, the outdoors and golf with girlfriends.
She is survived by her husband, Don Simonet of Durango; and her son J.C. Jones of Durango.
No services are planned at this time.
Homer Archie Brown (12/10/2005)
Centenarian Homer Archie Brown died Sunday, Nov. 27, 2005, at the Vista Mesa Assisted Living Center in Cortez. He was 100.
He was born to James L. and Josephine Willelmene (Olson) Brown on March 21, 1905.
Mr. Brown is survived by his son, Don Brown of Durango.
Services are pending.
Gilbert Joseph Litz Jr. (12/10/2005)
Durango native Gilbert Joseph Litz. Jr., 44, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Boulder Community Hospital in Boulder. The cause of death was not disclosed.
He was born Aug. 27, 1961, in Durango to Alethea (Gunn) and Gilbert Litz Sr. Mr. Litz was a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and listening to music. His family said he was a free spirit who marched to his own drum.
Mr. Litz moved to Erie in 1970 and graduated from Erie High School.
He is survived by his mother, Alethea Litz, of Erie; stepfather, Fabian Carmenoros, of Erie; father, Gilbert Litz Sr., of Ignacio; brothers Randall Litz of Ignacio and Harold Carmenoros and Michael Carmenoros, both of Erie; stepbrother, Fabian Carmenoros, of Erie; stepsisters Virginia Rodriguez and Florina Carmenoros, both of Erie, and Gail Carmenoros and Shirley Gallegos, both of Ignacio; and numerous aunts, nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, 2005, at Hood Mortuary. A recitation of the rosary will be said at 7 p.m. that day, also at Hood.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Ignacio. Burial will take place at Ouray Memorial Cemetery in Ignacio.
Mary Aleeta Carlson (12/9/2005)
Former Durango nurse practitioner and physician's assistant Mary Aleeta Carlson, 59, died on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005, at a friend's home in Burlingame, Calif. The cause of death was metastatic breast cancer.
She moved to Durango in 1995 after receiving dual degrees from Stanford University and subsequently working in the emergency room of a large San Francisco hospital.
She worked at Durango Animas Family Medicine for four years. Friends say Mrs. Carlson was extremely supportive of her patients, especially young women seeking the help of a more mature female health-care practitioner.
Mrs. Carlson belonged to the Women's Resource Center and supported several other organizations in the community and on the professional level. Friends say she took pride in her ability as a problem solver, always ready to lend an ear and come up with an idea to help.
Mrs. Carlson completed a master's in medical science while recovering from surgery in 2003.
She is survived by her parents, John and Eleanor Lyons, of Pembrook, Fla.; daughter, Kimberly Hasanberg of Washington, D.C.; and two grandchildren.
Her ashes will be scattered over The Land of Medicine Buddha on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005, in Santa Cruz, Calif. A Powa (fire blessing) will take place on that day, 28 days after death, as is customary in the Buddhist tradition.
A simultaneous memorial service will be held at 3232 County Road 234 in Durango at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005.
At her request, memorial donations may be sent to Land of Medicine Buddha, 5800 Prescott Road, Soquell, CA 95073.
Anna Amelia Furlow (12/9/2005)
Former Durango resident Anna Amelia Furlow, 84, died Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005, in Lamesa, Texas. The cause of death was a massive stroke.
She was born to Joe and Clara Rietman in Florence, Ala., on June 6, 1921. When she was 10, her family moved to Littlefield, Texas. That's where she met Lance Furlow, and the couple married on Dec. 6, 1936. For the next 36 years, they farmed in the Lamesa, Texas, area.
The Furlows moved to Durango in 1959 for health reasons and retired back to Lamesa in 1986. While living here, Mrs. Furlow was active in the First United Methodist Church and joined the Chit Chat and Emblem clubs. She also volunteered at Community Hospital.
Her family said she loved puttering in her garden and kept a stack of books nearby. She passed on to her children her love of cooking, reading and nature.
She bravely accompanied her husband on his favorite hobby of rattlesnake hunting, brandishing a hoe until he made the kill with a slingshot.
Her daughter Brenda Isgar said, "She was everything to us. We strived to live up to her standards." She also described her mother as naturally charming, full of grace and very gentle.
Mrs. Furlow is survived by her husband of 68 years and 11 months, Lance Furlow of Lamesa, Texas; sons Mark Furlow of Lamesa and Steve Furlow of Brownfield, Texas; daughters Barbara Jasper of Austin, Texas, Marilyn Staggs of Ackerly, Texas, Sheila Hensley of Little Rock, Ark., and Brenda Isgar of Durango; brother Joe Rietman of Charleston, Ark.; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
James D. Archuleta (12/9/2005)
A lifelong resident of Durango, James D. Archuleta, 81, died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, in Denver. The cause of death was lung cancer.
He was born July 2, 1924, in Durango to Epifania (Montoya) and Eufemio Archuleta. He was born and spent his childhood in the area then known as West Side, one of the three area that Latinos called home. Mr. Archuleta attended Durango High School until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
His family said that when he joined the Navy at an eager young age, he was surprised to find that he was sent into a full-fledged war, World War II. Mr. Archuleta was one of two Latino men on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga from 1941 to 1945. One of his favorite memories was crossing the international dateline on July 12, 1942.
Mr. Archuleta attained the rank of petty officer second class. He was honorably discharged. He lived for a short time in Livermore, Calif., and then returned to Durango to marry Josie Maestas in the early 1950s.
Mr. Archuleta worked as a master carpenter. He helped to build many structures at Fort Lewis College, as well as working on homes, buildings, tunnels and the snow shed on Wolf Creek Pass. He left his trademark on some Durango sidewalks with his grandchildren's names.
Mr. Archuleta was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 4031.
He loved to fish the rivers of Southwest Colorado and taught his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren how to fish. In his younger days, he also enjoyed hunting.
Most people called him Jimmy, but to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was called Pampo.
Mr. Archuleta was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Josie Archuleta.
He is survived by his son, Dave Archuleta of Denver; daughters Carol Archuleta-Sandoval, Judy Archuleta-Young and Clarita Archuleta, all of Denver; brothers Phillip Archuleta of Colorado Springs and Jacob Archuleta of Durango; sisters Juanita Jaramillo and Antonia Gonzalez, both of Denver; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren (with another on the way); and numerous nieces and nephews.
A rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. today, Dec. 9, 2005 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, 2005, also at Sacred Heart. Burial will follow at Greenmount Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be sent to Hospice of Durango, 3801 N. Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
