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Joseph Richard McKnight (3/25/2007)
Joseph Richard McKnight died at the Alpine Inn on Friday, March 9, 2007. He was 33. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mr. McKnight was born in Albuquerque to Richard P. and Marvis K. McKnight on Aug. 24, 1973.
"Joseph's suffering is over, and he is now in the arms of the angels," his family wrote.
Mr. McKnight is survived by his daughter, Emily Noonan; sisters Deborah Stueber, Laura Filbert and Donna Kohler; and several nieces and nephews.
Cremation will occur. A private memorial has taken place.
Maxine E. Corey (3/25/2007)
Longtime Durango resident Maxine E. Corey died at Mercy Regional Medical Center on Saturday, March 24, 2007. She was 95.
Mrs. Corey was born to Lee and Bernice Mecham in Duschene, Utah, on Aug. 3, 1911. She grew up in Utah and moved to Arizona as a young woman.
In November 1928, she married Charles Corey. The Corey family moved to Durango in 1955. Mrs. Corey was active in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs. She was also a volunteer with the Community Hospital Auxiliary. For many years, Mrs. Corey served on the precinct election board as an election judge.
She enjoyed gardening and crosswords. Mrs. Corey was an avid reader, and her family said she was also a "tremendous" cook. Mrs. Corey was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Charles Corey, in 1990; and son Steven Corey.
She is survived by her sons Charles Corey of Evergreen and David Corey of Craig; daughters Faye Connelly of West Jordan, Utah, Fern Rossi of Lakewood and Joyce Hopkins of Denver; 13 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall, 543 East Second Ave., No. 48.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or the charity of the donor's choice in her honor.
Timm W. Rennecker (3/25/2007)
Durango native Timm W. Rennecker died in Albuquerque on Sunday, March 11, 2007. He was 59.
He was born in Durango to Van and Rosemary Rennecker.
Mr. Rennecker graduated from Durango High School. He lived in New Mexico for many years. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn Rennecker of Albuquerque; daughters Carman Bakey of Iowa, and Joelle Rennecker and Lisa Lucero, both of Rio Rancho, N.M.; sisters Rozanne Kelly, Cathy Salvador and Sari Snow; nine grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services were held in New Mexico.
Richard Lee Gobble (3/24/2007)
Richard Lee Gobble, former director of the Fort Lewis College Library, died in Phoenix on Friday, Feb. 16, 2007. He was 85.
Mr. Gobble was born in Albia, Iowa, on Jan. 11, 1922.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942-1946.
Mr. Gobble was hired in 1967 as the director of the FLC Library and received tenure in 1970. He served as the director until his retirement in 1983. Upon his retirement, Mr. Gobble was granted the rank of librarian and associate professor emeritus.
Former colleagues Harrold and Roberta Shipps said Mr. Gobble made a significant contribution to building the Southwest collection and the reference section of the library, which opened in March 1967 shortly before he arrived to serve as director. Mr. Gobble worked hard to increase the salary level of the professional librarians and took care of the civil-service staff as well. The Shippses said Mr. Gobble inspired seven former assistants to become professional librarians.
"He used to come around almost every day to all the departments," Mr. Shipps said. "He wanted to see how things were going and to avoid any conflicts."
Duane Smith, an FLC professor and local historian, credits Gobble's importance in organizing the library.
"He is responsible for creating an excellent four-year liberal-arts-college library," Mr. Smith said, adding that Mr. Gobble is the longest serving director of the library since FLC became a four-year school.
"He softly accomplished more by being low-key than he would have if he was more gung-ho," Roberta Shipps said.
Mr. and Mrs. Gobble worked for animal rights and had several cats and dogs of their own. Mr. Gobble was also interested in cars.
After he retired, Mr. Gobble moved to Phoenix, where he lived for 23 years. During the last few years, he had lived with his caregiver and friend, Jessie B. Cruz.
"He was always an inspiration with his stories to tell, his mind full of wisdom and always to the end he had a joke to tell," Mrs. Cruz wrote. "He became part of our family and will always be in our minds and hearts."
Mr. Gobble was preceded in death by his wife, Martha Gobble.
Cremation has occurred. Per Mr. Gobble's wishes, his ashes will be spread in the mountains of Colorado.
Verna Mae 'Bunnie' Fender (3/23/2007)
Verna Mae "Bunnie" Fender died at her home in Sun City West, Ariz., on Monday, March 19, 2007. She was 79.
Mrs. Fender was born to Joseph Patrick and Sue Patricia Dowling in Chicago on Feb. 7, 1928, and grew up there. She married Bobbie Fender in Illinois.
The Fender family had vacationed in Durango several times and decided they wanted to live here. In 1975, they bought the Siesta Motel and later, in 1978, added the Caboose Motel to their lodging business. In 1979, Mrs. Fender was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and she and her husband moved to Sun City West at that time.
She enjoyed knitting and playing dominoes.
"She was a one-in-a-million wife, mother, grandma and friend," her family wrote. "Bunnie was a great listener, always had a word of encouragement and advice and was never forgotten by the people who came to know her and love her."
Mrs. Fender was preceded in death by her husband, Bobbie Fender, in April 2006.
She is survived by her daughters Marlene Hadden and Maureen Kulovitz, both of Durango, Bonnie Honer of Fort Worth, Texas, and Linda Carmody of California; son Bobbie Fender II of Durango; 12 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 24, 2007, at Hood Mortuary Chapel. The Rev. Floyd Patterson will officiate. Burial will follow at Greenmount Cemetery.
Woodrow Wilson Akins (3/23/2007)
Former Durango resident Woodrow Wilson Akins, 90, died in Port Angeles, Wash., on Saturday, March 17, 2007. The cause of death was heart failure.
Mr. Akins was born to Miles and Mary Curtet Akins in Hesperus on Oct. 25, 1916.
He served in the Navy from 1939 to 1942 and then in the Army Air Corps from 1942-1945. During his time in the Air Corps, Mr. Akins flew a B-29 bomber in the Pacific Theater.
On Jan. 4, 1945, he married Linda Lillian Becker in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Mr. Akins worked as a roofing contractor in Durango.
He enjoyed salmon fishing, elk hunting and spending time with his wife. He was a member of the Independent Bible Church.
Mr. Akins is survived by his wife of 62 years, Linda Lillian Akins, of Port Angeles, Wash.; sons Russell Akins and Mark Akins, both of Durango, Stan Akins of Port Angeles and Peter Akins of West Palm Beach, Fla.; daughters Carol Johnson of Littleton, Sondra Joy of Bailey and Connie Akins of Aurora; 18 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Cremation will occur. Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, 2007, at Drennan & Ford Funeral Home, 260 Monroe Road in Port Angeles. A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 28, 2007, at Independent Bible Church, 116 E. Ahlvers Road. The Rev. Gary Smith will officiate.
Mr. Akins' cremains will be buried in Durango.
Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 1695, Sequim, WA 98382.
Carol Hirsch (3/22/2007)
Carol Hirsch of Scottsdale, Ariz., died Monday March 12, 2007, at home in Scottsdale. The cause of death was ovarian cancer. She was 62.
Mrs. Hirsch was born in Kew Gardens, N.Y., on Oct. 15, 1944, to Alwyn and Helen Goldstein.
She married her high school sweetheart, John Hirsch, in Jamaica, about 36 years ago.
Mrs. Hirsch made custom jewelry. She was involved in networking entrepreneurial groups in Durango. She lived most of her life in Connecticut, but lived the last five years in Durango and Scottsdale.
She worked as a travel agent in Connecticut.
Besides making custom jewelry, she enjoyed playing bridge.
Mrs. Hirsch is survived by her daughter Wendy Crabb of Durango; sisters Ronna Goldstein of Fiji and Barbara Cohen of Scottsdale; and three grandchildren.
Memorials in her name can be made to the Hospice of the Valley, 1510 East Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Carly Ann Martin (3/21/2007)
Carly Ann Martin, 16, died Saturday, March 17, 2007, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident near Hesperus. Her brother Raymond Bill Millich Jr. also was killed in the crash.
Miss Martin was born Jan. 7, 1991, in Durango, the daughter of Cindi Oliver.
Carly attended Bayfield schools and enjoyed playing basketball and volleyball. She did well in school, enjoyed being with her friends and participated in rodeo. She liked to four-wheel on all-terrain vehicles and to fish.
She had worked as a baby sitter and also at the Patio restaurant.
She was a member of the Pine Valley Foursquare Church. She will be remembered as a great friend, for being independent and responsible. She was inseparable from her brother, Ray, and had recently celebrated her eight-month relationship with her boyfriend, Larry Romero.
She is survived by her mother and her companion, Cindi Oliver, and Cole Dendy both of Bayfield; her father and his companion, Raymond Millich Sr. and Lori Oliver, both of Cortez; grandmother Alberta Oliver of Lewis; great-grandmother Eunice Honaker of Lewis; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2007, at the Bayfield High School gymnasium. Pastor Scott Kujath with Pine Valley Foursquare Church will officiate. Burial will occur at Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield.
Memorial contributions have been established in her name at the Pine River Valley Bank or at the First National Bank in Bayfield.
Raymond Bill Millich Jr. (3/21/2007)
Raymond Bill Millich Jr., 13, died Saturday, March 17, 2007, from injuries suffered in an accident near Hesperus. His sister Carly Ann Martin also was killed in the crash.
Mr. Millich Jr. was born Aug. 25, 1993, in Durango, the son of Raymond Millich Sr. and Cindi Oliver.
He attended Bayfield schools and had played numerous sports including football, baseball and basketball. He loved going to school and being with his friends. He had missed only a day or two in the last three years, as he wanted to get good grades so that he could participate in sports.
He also enjoyed snowboarding, participating in rodeo, wrestling, riding motocross and hunting.
He was a member of the Pine Valley Church of the Foursquare Gospel. At the church he played basketball every Monday, and participated in the youth group on Wednesdays.
He enjoyed telling jokes, even if he didn't get them right, and he liked to play tricks on people. He was recently awarded Student of the Week by the Pine River Valley Bank.
He is survived by his father Raymond Millich Sr. and his companion Lori Oliver, both of Ignacio; his mother Cindi Oliver and her companion, Cole Dendy both of Bayfield; a half-sister, Kara Beth Martinez of Bloomfield, N.M; a stepbrother Cody Likes of Cortez; a stepsister Jessica Likes of Cortez; grandparents Pete and Della Millich of Allison; grandmother Alberta Oliver of Lewis; great-grandmother Eunice Honaker of Lewis; a nephew, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, March 23, 2007, at Bayfield High School gymnasium. Pastor Scott Kujath with Pine Valley Church of the Foursquare Gospel will officiate. Burial will occur at Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield.
Memorial contributions may be made to memorial funds that are set up in his name at the First National Bank of Bayfield.
