Search Archived Marriage Records
Harold Hester (4/25/2006)
Former Durango resident Harold Hester, 74, died Tuesday, April 18, 2006, in Fallbrook, Calif. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer's disease and diabetes.
Mr. Hester lived in Durango for seven years after his retirement in 1991. While in Durango, he served on the board of directors of the Durango Foundation for Education Excellence and attended the First United Methodist Church.
Mr. Hester was born to Russell and Hazel Hester in Earlham, Iowa, on Aug. 16, 1931. His son Brian Hester said his father's own education was off to a slow start until he started college.
"He began to see the value of education," Brian Hester said.
As a student at the University of Northern Iowa Teachers College and Drake University, Mr. Hester learned first to love coaching and then to love teaching, his son said. He taught physical education and social studies, developing close relationships with students.
"He had students that he stayed in touch with that he coached back in Iowa," Brian Hester said.
Mr. Hester later moved to California and earned a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California.
During his 37 years in education, Mr. Hester served as a teacher, college professor, coach, school principal and district administrator.
He enjoyed motorcycling, golfing and spending time with his family.
"He was outgoing and always very funny," Brian Hester remembered. "He always poked fun at himself."
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Jean Hester, of Fallbrook, Calif.; sister, Zelda of Iowa City, Iowa; sons, Grant Hester of Santa Monica, Calif., Brad Hester of Cypress, Ga., and Brian Hester of Gypsum; and seven grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 6, 2006, at the Community Baptist Church in Fallbrook, Calif.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Durango Foundation for Education Excellence, 201 E. 12th St., Durango, CO 81301.
Howard Edwin Keith Jr. (4/24/2006)
Howard Edwin Keith Jr., who owned a seafood business in New Hampshire and a used-car business in Ignacio, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006, at his home in Ignacio after a short illness. He was 73.
He was born in Wolfeboro, N.H., to Howard E. and Josephine (Pinkham) Keith. He graduated in 1950 from Brewster Free Academy, where he was active in theater.
He earned his pilot's license in Wolfeboro and enjoyed flying seaplanes over Lake Winnipesauke. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served as an Airman First Class until 1956.
After working at Pratt & Whitney in Hartford, Conn., Mr. Keith moved back to Wolfeboro, where he ran a successful seafood business, The Deep Six Lobster Pound, for several years. He moved to Houston, Texas, in 1967 to work for Mobile Oil.
Mr. Keith then opened a used-car business in Houston. When he moved from Houston to Ignacio in 1988, he continued his car business there.
His lifelong passion was the hobby shop he operated from his home, where he built model airplanes, trains and boats.
Survivors include his son, Clinton Keith of Vista, Calif.; daughters, Robin Lefebvre of Willington, Conn., and Janine Spence of Pennsylvania; brothers, Charles Keith of Canton, Ohio, and Norman Keith of Land-of-Lakes, Fla.; sisters, Priscilla Seeley of Sandwich, N.H., and Cynthia Schonberg of Hartland, Vt.; and six grandchildren.
A private burial will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, at Ignacio Cemetery East. A public memorial gathering will be held at the Patio Restaurant in Ignacio shortly after.
Donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society, 3801 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301.
Richard Arthur Weinig (4/24/2006)
Richard Arthur Weinig, a native Durangoan who lived much of his life in Alaska, died at his home in Anchorage, Alaska, on Monday, April 3, 2006.
Mr. Weinig, 66, had recently broken his leg in a fall on glare ice and his death came shortly after an operation to stabilize the break.
Don Weinig said his brother's move to Alaska fulfilled a family ambition thwarted when his grandparents, discovering they had a child on the way, reversed course while on their way to the Alaska gold fields.
"There was kind of Alaska in the blood," Don Weinig said.
Richard Weinig was the son of longtime San Juan Basin residents Art and Edna Novella Weinig. His great-grandfathers were the Durango pioneers Killian Weinig and John Anderson.
He attended grades one through 10 in Durango schools, where he played varsity basketball and was active in speech, drama and student government. He also was active in all levels of Boy Scouting in Durango and was an Eagle Scout.
Even as a boy, Mr. Weinig was an accomplished backpacker, mountaineer, skier and fly fisherman. He backpacked Columbine Pass when it was relatively undiscovered and bicycled the San Juan Basin on a one-speed bike, his brother said.
Don Weinig said Durango was one of his brother's favorite places, next to Alaska. Mr. Weinig made yearly summer visits to the city in recent years.
After the 10th grade, Mr. Weinig moved with his family to Farmington, where he graduated from high school in 1962.
Mr. Weinig graduated from Stanford University with both bachelor's and master's degrees. He married Stanford student Barbara Westerlund in 1964. He attended Hastings Law School, receiving his law degree there in 1968.
While still in school, the couple decided on Alaska for their home. Mr. Weinig took a position as an attorney in Anchorage immediately upon his graduation, and in 1972 appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Weinig kayaked, canoed, skied and hunted in many parts of Alaska. He was an expert marksman and devoted time to passing on his skills and knowledge to others.
Survivors include his wife; his brother, Donald Weinig, of Vienna, Va.; and two nephews.
The family has requested contributions in lieu of flowers go to the Dick Weinig Grant, which will go to the Izaak Walton and Rabbit Creek Sportsmen Associations, in care of Barbara Weinig, 800 E. Dimond Blvd., Suite 3620, Anchorage, Alaska 99515.
William S. Thompson (4/23/2006)
A former chief of the Southern Ute Police Department, William S. Thompson died of natural causes Friday, April 21, 2006, at his home in Ignacio. He was 78.
Mr. Thompson was born May 25, 1927, in La Boca to Ben Salazar and Jane Thompson.
He served in the Army during World War II. In 1960, he became chief of the Southern Ute Police Department, a post he held until the mid-1970s.
He also worked for the U.S. Forest Service. In the early 1980s, he retired from a job with Williams Field Oil and Gas Services.
He continued to work for the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Custom Farm for a few years.
In his youth, Mr. Thompson was a bronco rider and a basketball player. As a rancher, he enjoyed building fences and tending to crops.
His family said he was fond of reminiscing about his "basketball days." He also loved to sing and served as a Sun Dancer. He played the harmonica and enjoyed listening to classic country music "greats," like Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Sr.
An avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys, he also rooted for the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mr. Thompson was a member of the Catholic and Native American churches.
He is survived by his former wife Tamianne Weage Thompson; daughters Evelyn Burch, Marjorie Barry, San Jean Burch, Denise Thompson, Lizabeth Kent, Willette Whiteskunk and Wiliamette Thompson; sons Robert Thompson, Ian Thompson and Tyson Thompson; sisters Florence Williams, Pauline Green and Rosalie Archuleta; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by wife Doris Red Thompson; sisters Helen Kant and Nedra Sieger; brother Ben Salazar; and son William Thompson Jr.
Visitation will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, April 24, at Hood Mortuary. A recitation of the rosary will be said Monday evening. (Please call Hood for the time at 247-2312.)
After the rosary, there will be a wake at Mr. Thompson's home at 55 Tamuche Circle in Ignacio.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 25, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Ignacio. The Rev. Daniel Huber will officiate. Burial will occur at Ouray Memorial Cemetery in Ignacio.
Helen Maxine Jones (4/23/2006)
Helen Maxine Jones died on Tuesday, April 18, in Durango. She was 84.
She was born Dec. 5, 1921, in Bentonville, Ark., to Ward and Ida Casey.
She married Keith C. Jones on June 16, 1940, in Compton, Calif.
Mrs. Jones was a homemaker and an avid golfer for many years. She grew up in California and enjoyed retired life there with her husband.
Mrs. Jones moved to Durango after the death of her husband in December 2005. She made many friends in a few short months at Sunshine Gardens. She particularly enjoyed watching wildlife and snowstorms in the Animas Valley from her window.
Mrs. Jones is survived by son Dennis "DJ" Jones of Durango; daughter Carolyn Ramirez of Lake Arrow, Calif.; brother Alden Casey of Applegate, Ore.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years.
No services are planned, and cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory in Durango. Contributions may be made to Hospice of Mercy.
Cecil E. Hubbs (4/22/2006)
Farmington resident Cecil E.Hubbs died Sunday, April 16, 2006. He was 89.
Mr. Hubbs was born Jan. 5, 1917, in Kline to Burel and Ida Hubbs.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Mildred Hubbs; son Howard Hubbs of Farmington; sister Gladys Davies of Durango; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation was held Tuesday, April 18, 2006, at Brewer Lee & Larkin Funeral Home in Farmington. A funeral was held Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at the Marvel Methodist Church in Marvel. The Rev. Beth Stidham officiated. Interment followed in Marvel Community Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Marvel Methodist Church, c/o Barbara Schmitt, 3383 County Road 129, Hesperus, CO 81326.
Mildred L. Bader (4/22/2006)
Mildred L. Bader died Tuesday, March 28, 2006, in Grand Junction. She was 75.
Mrs. Bader was born February 1, 1931, to Walter and Dora Buehler. She grew up on the family farm near Berthoud, Colo., and attended Berthoud public schools. Later, she studied at Colorado State College of Education in Greeley.
She married Charles W. (Bill) Bader on June 4, 1950, in Berthoud.
Mrs. Bader was active as a volunteer at Community Hospital in Grand Junction and was involved in Beta Sigma Phi sorority.
She is survived by her husband, Bill Bader; son, David Bader; daughters, Connie Chapin and Crystie Waugh; and four grandchildren.
A service of remembrance was held at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Grand Junction on April 3, 2006. The family requests that any memorial contributions be made to the Memorial Fund at Crossroads United Methodist Church or to the charity of your choice.
Dakota Riley Vickers (4/21/2006)
Dakota Riley Vickers, a baby born two months ago in Durango, died Monday, April 17, 2006, in Tahlequah, Okla., of sudden infant death syndrome.
Dakota was born Feb. 12, 2006, in Durango to Crystal and Matthew Vickers. He had a feisty spirit even before birth, as illustrated during an ultrasound when his parents witnessed him swiftly kicking his twin brother, Kassidy, in the head.
Two-month-old Kassidy's eyes would light up when seeing his smaller brother, family recalled. Dakota's favorite facial expressions were "closed eyes and furrowed brow" or an "adoring smile."
Dakota is survived by parents Crystal and Matthew Vickers of Durango; brothers Kassidy and Christian of Durango; sister Jerzey of Durango; grandparents Jeff and Sherry Gifford of Durango and Ron and Kathy Vickers of Fruita; and a great-grandmother, Joy Knaggs of Durango.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 22, 2006, at Calvary Chapel, 799 Tech Center Drive in Durango.
Contributions can be sent to the "Dakota Riley" memorial fund at First National Bank of Durango, 259 W. Ninth St., Durango, CO 81301.
