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Deborah Helen Andersen (12/4/2005)
Durango resident Deborah Helen Andersen, 90, died on Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, in Durango of natural causes.
She was born to Harry Clay Grigsby and Helen Hamilton Grigsby on Nov. 24, 1915, in San Jose, Calif.
She lived her first few years in and around the San Francisco Bay area.
While still a toddler, Mrs. Andersen moved with her family to the Sonora area of Mexico to farm a large ranch.
She graduated from a boarding school in Palo Alto, Calif.
She attended Stanford University, graduating just before World War II.
She was a lifelong member of the Tri Delta sorority.
Mrs. Andersen told many interesting stories about her travels to and life in Mexico before the political upheaval that forced her family to leave.
She was proud of her family heritage that dated to the Revolutionary War.
During World War II, Mrs. Andersen worked as a secretary for several Navy admirals in Long Beach, Calif.
In 1952, she married Alvin Andersen in Glendale, Calif.
As a homemaker, she raised three children with Mr. Andersen. During those years, she was a Girl Scout leader.
After she and Mr. Andersen divorced in the early 1970s, she worked for the state of California doing secretarial and clerical work until her retirement.
She lived in Durango with her daughter Deborah's family for her last 13 years.
Mrs. Andersen enjoyed gardening and family.
She was very active in the Durango/La Plata Senior Center and played bridge until the day she died.
She was preceded in death by her daughter Dorothy.
She is survived by daughter Deborah A. Gorton of Durango, son Alan Andersen of Apple Valley, Calif., and six grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Hood Mortuary.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Red Cross.
Marion May McAndrew (12/3/2005)
Bayfield resident Marion May McAndrew, 77, died at Mercy Medical Center on Monday, Nov. 28, 2005.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mrs. McAndrew had lived in Bayfield for the past four years, where she was an active member of the Council on Aging.
She was born in Denver to Frank and Winaford O'Connor on Aug. 13, 1928.
When she was 1, the family moved to Ridgway and stayed there until Mrs. McAndrew was in her early teens.
The O'Connors then moved to Temple City, Calif., where she graduated from high school.
In 1947, she married Nicolas Slivkoff in Temple City.
Throughout her life, Mrs. McAndrew did secretarial work, including in the aircraft industry in California, at a hotel and for the Catholic Church in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
In the late 1970s, she married Bill McAndrew in Steamboat Springs.
"She loved Colorado and going camping and fishing," said her sister-in-law Barbara O'Connor.
"She enjoyed life to the max, and everything she did was fun."
Mrs. McAndrew enjoyed giving parties and cooking, often trying new recipes.
"She was always the lively one," said Mrs. O'Connor.
"She was the one planning the color trip or a barbecue."
Mrs. McAndrew was preceded in death by her husbands Nicolas Slivkoff and Bill McAndrew.
She is survived by her son, Ron Slivkoff, of Vancouver, Wash.; sister, Adrian Wellman of California; brothers, Daniel O'Connor of Durango, and Terry O'Connor and Frank O'Connor, both of California; and two grandsons.
At her request, there will be no public funeral.
Warren Weatherly (12/3/2005)
Cortez resident Warren Weatherly, 40, died north of Durango on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005.
He is survived by his wife, Carla Weatherly; children, Sol and Jen; parents, Sue Addams, Richard Weatherly and Barb Weatherly; brother, Scott Weatherly; and sister Katie Weatherly.
A remembrance will be held at mile marker 20 in McElmo Canyon at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005.
A gathering will follow at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Cortez.
Bonnie Ruth Francis (12/2/2005)
Bonnie Ruth Francis, 80, died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, at Mercy Medical Center after a long battle with cancer.
Mrs. Francis was born July 8, 1925, in St. Paul, Minn., to Harold and Ruth Boudin.
She attended Colton High School in Colton, Calif., after moving there with her family.
She married Glenn F. Francis on Sept. 18, 1943, in West Los Angeles.
They moved to Durango in 1977 and purchased Hermosa Meadows Camper Park in Hermosa.
In 1988, the couple retired.
The Francises had four children. Their firstborn son, Steven, was killed in the Vietnam War.
Mrs. Francis is survived by her husband, Glenn F. Francis of Durango; daughters, Karin Rodgers of Hermosa Beach, Calif., and Tina Hood of Bayfield; son, Mike Francis of Hermosa; 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Francis was deeply devoted to and derived great joy from her entire family.
A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, at Hood Mortuary Chapel.
Chaplain Earl Caudill of Hospice of Mercy will officiate.
Burial will occur at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills, Calif.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Mercy, 3801 N. Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301.
The Francis family will be forever grateful for the loving care given by the hospice.
Jonas Light (12/2/2005)
A lifelong resident of the Cortez area, Jonas Light, 47, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez.
The cause of death was not disclosed.
He was born to Willie Light Sr. and Sybil Mae Hight on May 7, 1958, in Cortez.
After graduating Rehoboth Christian School in 1976, Mr. Light attended San Juan Community College.
He was employed in Durango by Holt Sheet Metal Inc.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing and working with his hands while farming and ranching.
His family said Mr. Light had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed telling a good joke.
He loved the outdoors and riding motorcycles.
He is survived by his wife, Sylvia Light of Kirtland, N.M.; his daughter, Kimberly Light of Kirtland; his father, Willie Light Sr. of Rattlesnake, N.M.; stepchildren, Lupe Montanez of Cortez, and Sergio, Adrianna, Francisco and Christian Montanez, all of Farmington; three sisters, Elvena Leight of Shiprock, N.M., Elizabeth Hobson of Farmington and Joycelyn Light of San Diego; brothers, Willard Light Jr. and Simon Light of Towaoc; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A funeral will be held at Ertel Memorial Chapel at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005.
Interment will follow at Cortez Cemetery.
Alfred 'Fred' Flores (12/2/2005)
A man who led a fascinating life, Durangoan Alfred "Fred" Flores, 75, died at the Valley Inn in Mancos on Friday, Nov. 25, 2005.
The cause of death was congestive heart failure.
Mr. Flores was born to Diego and Susana Borrego Flores on Aug. 22, 1930, in Wharton, Texas.
His family said he worked hard all of his life, beginning as a shoeshine boy at age 9. Later, he was the only newspaper delivery boy who didn't own a bicycle.
At 14, he was the Texas state boxing champion in the featherweight class, and later was Golden Gloves champion.
Those boxing titles led to scholarships at the Allen Military Academy in Texas, Louisiana State University and McNeese State University in Louisiana.
While in college, Mr. Flores was a member of the U.S. Army ROTC, and after graduation enlisted with the rank of second lieutenant.
He served in Korea and remained active in the reserves, finally resigning as a captain.
On March 7, 1953, he married Bonnie Jean Lambert.
Mr. Flores believed education is important.
He was the first person in his family to graduate from high school and earn a college degree.
As an adult, he supported a "stay in school" program and was a member of the parents association at the University of California at Irvine.
He also helped establish Los Padrinos and Las Madrinas, a community support group for Chicano medical students at California-Irvine.
Mr. Flores was the keynote speaker at a California-Irvine graduation and was given a certificate of merit for community service by the school's chancellor, Dan Aldrich.
He was active in politics and community service.
Mr. Flores marched with César Chavez and was a pallbearer at his funeral.
When he was asked recently what he was proudest of in his life, Mr. Flores said his family and being the president of the McNeese Alumni Association.
At 65, Mr. Flores ran in the 100th Boston Marathon.
Mr. Flores is survived by his wife, Bonnie Flores of Durango; children, Lisa Breed of Durango, David Flores of Laguna Beach, Calif., Leah Paige Andres of Mission Viejo, Calif., Alan Flores of Newport Beach, Calif., and Dianna Re�e Flores, formerly of Durango; sister, Laura Garcia of Texas City, Texas; brothers, Julio Garcia and Charles Garcia, both of Texas City; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, at the First Presbyterian Church in Durango.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to the McNeese Alumni Association, c/o Monte Hurley, P.O. Box 938, Lake Charles, LA 70602.
Marie Irene Hale (12/1/2005)
A resident of Durango and Lubbock, Texas, Marie Irene Hale, 88, died in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005.
The cause of death was heart failure.
She was born to Frank and Hannah Gravatt in Gering, Neb., on May 2, 1917.
On Sept. 6, 1936, she married Harold Hale. He died in 1996.
In 1972, the Hales made Durango their home base, although they traveled extensively as missionaries.
They lived and taught on the Navajo reservation and served as house parents to unwed mothers two times.
Mrs. Hale also established two children's homes in Texas and New Mexico.
One of her favorite activities was quilting. Her daughter, Carolyn Kendrick, said that in her lifetime she made or helped make thousands of quilts and gave them away.
As a member of the Florida Presbyterian Church, Mrs. Hale helped in the church project to make quilts for the Community Homeless Shelter.
"All my life I wanted to be like her," said her daughter, "Because she really made a difference in the world."
Mrs. Hale is survived by her children Carolyn Kendrick of Durango, Douglas Hale of Lubbock, Texas, Victor Hale of Veguita, N.M., and Dennis Hale of El Paso, Texas; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.
