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Brian Michael Sandrey (4/25/2007)
Former Durango resident Brian Michael Sandrey died of a heart attack in San Diego on Tuesday, April 10, 2007. He was 47.
Mr. Sandrey was born to Joseph and Frances Sandrey in New Haven, Conn., on Dec. 29, 1959.
He moved to San Diego in 1989, where he met Karin M. Miller. The couple married in San Diego on May 8, 1993, and moved to Durango that summer. The marriage ended in divorce in 2001.
While in Durango, Mr. Sandrey was a master plumber for the state of Colorado. He returned to San Diego in 2002, where he lived until his death.
He enjoyed the outdoors, painting, gardening and holding his sons.
Mr. Sandrey is survived by his sons Ian Sandrey, Joseph Sandrey and Jakob Sandrey, all of Bayfield; mother Fran Sandrey of West Chester, Conn.; brothers Robert Sandrey of West Chester and Stephen Sandrey of Madison, Conn.; sister Lynn Forte of Killington, Conn.; and two nieces and two nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 29, 2007, at Pine River Cemetery, located on County Road 501 in Bayfield. The Rev. Scott Kujath of Pine Valley Foursquare Church will officiate.
A celebration of Mr. Sandrey's life will follow the service at the home of Karin and Carl Rhodes.
John Elam 'Jack' Elliss III (4/24/2007)
Mr. John Elam "Jack" Elliss III, a lifelong Mancos resident, died Thursday, April 19, 2007, at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez. He was 68.
Mr. Elliss was born on Nov. 8, 1938, in Westphalia, Kan., the son of John Elam Elliss Jr. and Edith Viola (Morton) Elliss.
After graduating from Mancos High School in 1956, Mr. Elliss served in the Navy as a Seabee from June 1956 to June 1975. He completed a tour of duty in Vietnam, and at his discharge he held the rank of chief petty officer E7.
On July 22, 1972, in Port Hueneme, Calif., Mr. Elliss married Segaula Heather. After his release from the Navy, he returned to the Mancos area and studied at Fort Lewis College, where he received his master's in archaeology.
Mr. Elliss enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing. He was a sports enthusiast. Mr. Elliss was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Masons.
Mr. Elliss is survived by his wife of 34 years, Segaula Elliss of Mancos; his children, Jeanette Thourman of Irvine, Calif., Christy Tallman of Coatesville, Ind., John Elliss IV of Cottage Creek, Ore., Lalofau Antillon of Grand Junction, Luther Elliss of Oakland, Mich., Leilani Bercume of Clarkston, Mich., and Ben Elliss of Grand Junction; his sisters, Lois Casey of Yukon, Ore., Rovilla Ellis of Mancos; his brothers, Richard Elliss and Ray Elliss, both of Denver; 25 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Mancos Performance Center. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Mancos Performance Center. Cremation will follow the funeral.
Condolences can be sent to www.ertelfuneralhome.com; click on the obituary section.
Ernest Arthur 'Art' Gomez (4/22/2007)
Longtime Durango resident Ernest Arthur "Art" Gomez died Thursday, April 19, 2007, in Durango after a short illness. He was 81.
Mr. Gomez was born on August 24, 1925, to Guillermo and Miquelita Gomez in McPhee, Colo.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in May 1944, and was stationed on the USS Higbee 40 miles off the coast of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
Mr. Gomez was among the first American troops to enter Hiroshima days after the bombing. He was honorably discharged in March 1946 with the rank of fireman first class.
After leaving the military, Mr. Gomez returned to McPhee and worked in the lumber industry. He moved to Denver for a short time before returning to Southwest Colorado in 1956.
Mr. Gomez met Jewell Hudgens at a local truck stop where she worked as a waitress, and the two were married on Oct. 5, 1970.
He and his brother, Ray, opened their millworks business, Las Animas Wood Products, in the Grandview area. After his brother's death, Mr. Gomez sold the business in 1987 and retired.
He loved spending time with his family and friends. He also cherished morning coffee sessions with his friends and was a talented woodworker.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jewell Iris Gomez; brothers Guillermo A. Gomez, Raymond Gomez and Christopher Gomez; and sisters Mary Ann Gonzalez and Angelina Ulibarri.
Mr. Gomez is survived by sisters Esther Montano of Montrose, Ruth Lobato and Dora Aradillas of Denver, and Margie Garcia of San Manuel, Ariz.; stepchildren Janella Jarvis of Cisco, Texas, and George Hudgens of Durango; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A rosary will be said at 5 p.m. today, April 22, 2007, at Sacred Heart Church in Durango. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday, April 23, 2007, also at Sacred Heart. Burial will follow at the Cortez Cemetery District in Cortez.
Rose Anna (Parks) Edwards (4/21/2007)
Rose Anna (Parks) Edwards, a woman with deep roots in Southwest Colorado, died of cancer at Four Corners Health Care Center on Thursday, April 19, 2007. She was 85.
Mrs. Edwards was born to George W. and Chrysella (Waldner) Parks in an ice house on her grandfather Sam Parks' ranch on the Upper Pine River on July 28, 1921.
She was a descendant of Pine River Valley pioneers who came to Archuleta and La Plata counties in the 1880s and 1890s. One family story includes ancestors going over the northern end of Wolf Creek Pass in a covered wagon where the wagon was lowered by ropes.
Mrs. Edwards grew up on the Upper Pine River, Cascade Creek and Beaver Creek as well as around the HD Mountains. She was the oldest of six children and attended one-room Columbus School north of Bayfield through the eighth grade.
Her family said Mrs. Edwards often told her children and grandchildren about their ancestors and things that happened when she was growing up.
On Jan. 19, 1948, she married Roger W. Edwards in Aztec. They lived south of Ignacio as well as in Tiffany and Allison most of their married life.
"Rose was an amazing woman, great cook, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother," her family wrote.
In her younger years, Mrs. Edwards was an avid horsewoman. She taught her children and grandchildren about the stars, plants and animals. She was an accomplished seamstress who made her children's school clothes. Mrs. Edwards enjoyed quilting, crocheting, reading, writing poetry (which she had published), songwriting, painting, drawing, writing letters, keeping a journal and working crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
Mrs. Edwards is survived by her husband of 59 years, Roger Edwards of Ignacio; daughters Stefanie Brawley and Bernice Archuleta, both of Amarillo, Texas, Kathryn Jost of Los Lunas, N.M. and Loreta Beam of Hesperus; sons George Edwards and R. William Edwards, both of Durango; sisters Mary Dye of Tularosa, N.M., Barbara Sapp of Cortez and Frances Riggins of Wickenburg, Ariz.; 22 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Cremation will occur. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 23, 2007, at Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1775 Florida Road. The Rev. Aaron Hatfield will officiate.
Florence Curtis Lindsey (4/20/2007)
Arboles resident Florence Curtis Lindsey died in Albuquerque on Friday, April 6, 2007. She was 83.
Mrs. Lindsey was born in the small farming community of Forrest, N.M., to Joe and Pansy Curtis on Oct. 7, 1923. After graduating from high school there, she married Henry Lindsey on her birthday in the early 1940s.
During her life, she lived in Aztec, Farmington and Corona, N.M. While in Farmington, she worked as a secretary for Gordon's Department Store, Hustler Press, the city of Farmington and San Juan Regional Medical Center.
The Lindseys had owned a cabin in Arboles since the 1960s. They made it their permanent home in the 1970s. Mrs. Lindsey lived there until she moved to Albuquerque for health reasons in 2004.
She was an avid Bible scholar of and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ignacio. Her husband grew beautiful gardens and Mrs. Lindsey canned the produce. Her niece Jeannie Faverino said her aunt was an excellent cook.
Mrs. Lindsey was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Lindsey; and her infant son Ronald Coy Lindsey.
She is survived by her son Wayne Lindsey of Claunch, N.M.; daughters Camilla Hudson of Japan and Susan Langford of Albuquerque; brother Donald Curtis of Atascadero, Calif.; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held on Tuesday, April 10, 2007, at Direct Funeral Services in Albuquerque.
Darren Kyle McDonald (4/20/2007)
Arboles resident Darren Kyle McDonald died in Grand Junction on Monday, April 16, 2007. He was 22.
Mr. McDonald was born in Montrose to Douglas and Judith Ann Seibel McDonald on Feb. 25, 1985.
He grew up working for his uncle "Menners" Seibel on the farm.
In 2004, Mr. McDonald graduated from Ignacio High School. His mother said he enjoyed welding, was a great mechanic and could fix anything.
He was currently employed by Outlaw Field Services in the energy industry. The company prepares and maintains well sites.
"Darren lived his life as a free-spirited, dedicated young man with a high level of integrity," his family wrote. "He was the youngest of four siblings and was mom's baby boy. He always had it in high gear and never slowed down no matter what the task was at hand. He worked hard, played hard and enjoyed hunting, fishing and most outdoor activities."
His family said Mr. McDonald was always assisting friends and family with projects and chores throughout the Arboles community.
Mr. McDonald is survived by his mother, Judith Ann Seibel McDonald, of Arboles; brothers Mike McDonald of Monument and Jeff McDonald of Arboles; sister Jennifer Arthur of Arboles; grandparents Willard and Betty Seibel of Arboles; one niece and one nephew; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2007, at the Baptist Church of Arboles. The Rev. Randall Haines will officiate. In Mr. McDonald's honor, the services are to be simple and casual or Western attire is preferred. A private family burial will take place later.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Darren Kyle McDonald Memorial Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, Ignacio Branch, P.O. Box 869, Ignacio, CO 81137.
Andrea Natalia Venzor (4/19/2007)
Former Durango resident Andrea Natalia Venzor died in Kirkland, N.M., on Sunday, April 15, 2007. She was 16. The cause of death is undetermined pending an investigation of a car crash into the San Juan River.
She was born on Nov. 20, 1990, in Crownpoint, N.M., the only child of Tina Chee.
Known as "Drea," she and her mother lived in New Mexico until she was 5 and then moved to Durango. They lived here for 10 years before moving back to New Mexico.
She had attended Durango High School and was currently a sophomore at Bloomfield High School in New Mexico.
Miss Venzor enjoyed music, basketball, drawing, the mountains and powwow events. She embraced her native culture through jingle-dress dancing and also took classes to learn her Diné traditions and language.
"Andrea had a great love for life and brought joy and love to all those that she met," her family wrote. "She had friends and family all over who meant the world to her. Her smile was contagious and she always lit up a room."
Miss Venzor is survived by her mother, Tina Chee of Bloomfield, N.M.; stepfather Hank Murray of Rosebud, S.D.; and numerous relatives.
A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 20, 2007, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 804 W. Blanco Blvd., in Bloomfield, N.M. A memorial service will follow the viewing at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow the services in Counselor. Dinner will be served at Pueblo Chapter House.
Donna Agnes (Volz) Bedor (4/19/2007)
Durango resident Donna Agnes (Volz) Bedor died at her home after an extended battle with cancer on Wednesday, April 18, 2007. She was 67.
Mrs. Bedor was born to George and Gertrude Volz in Silverton, Ore., on May 23, 1939.
One month after she graduated from high school, her mother died of pancreatic cancer. As the eldest of five children, Mrs. Bedor stayed at home on the farm for seven years and helped her father raise her siblings. During this period, she attended Mount Angel (Ore.) College, which was operated by the Benedictine Order. In 1961, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and graduated magna cum laude.
She taught fifth grade at St. Mary's School in Mount Angel for three years. By this time, her siblings were old enough to take care of themselves, so Mrs. Bedor moved to Denver in 1965 to pursue her master's degree in library science at the University of Denver.
She embarked on a career in librarianship in 1967 and worked in Fort Collins as the high school librarian for three years.
Her family said she had been bitten by the travel bug and went to work for the Department of Defense School System for six years. She was based in Tachikawa, Japan, and Bitburg and Ramstein air bases in Germany. During this period, she traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and Africa. While working at Ramstein Air Base, she met her future husband, Wayne Bedor, while on a ski trip to Engelberg, Switzerland, in March 1973. They were married at St. Mary's Church on July 27, 1974, in Mount Angel, Ore.
Mrs. Bedor accompanied her husband to New Mexico, Colorado and Germany for the balance of his U.S. Air Force career. Much of that time was spent in Colorado Springs, where Mrs. Bedor was the reference librarian at the University of Colorado for 12 years.
After Mr. Bedor's retirement from the service, the family moved to Durango in 1989, where Mrs. Bedor began a career at Fort Lewis College. She worked until July 2005 at John Reed Library, retiring as associate professor emeritus.
She enjoyed baking, gardening, sewing, hiking, camping, skiing and traveling with her family.
"She was a loving wife, mother, daughter and sister," her family wrote.
Mrs. Bedor is survived by her husband of 32 years, Wayne Bedor of Durango; son Jonathan Bedor of Durango; brothers David Volz of Tualatin, Ore., Charles Volz of Springfield, Ore., and Leroy Volz of Corvallis, Ore.; sister Roberta Uno of Kirkland, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, 2007, at St. Columba Catholic Church. A second memorial service will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mt. Angel, Ore., in May or June for the convenience of Oregon family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the John Reed Library Fund, c/o the Fort Lewis College Foundation, 1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
