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Frances Phelps
Funeral services for Frances Phelps, a lifelong resident of this area, will be held Friday, Oct. 15, 1999, at the Cortez LDS Church beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at the Cedar Grove Cemetery. Conducting will be Bishop Duane Lanier.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday afternoon from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Ertel Memorial Chapel.
Frances was born March 31, 1909, in Mancos, Colo., to Fred and Mabyn (Morefield) Armstrong. She passed away at the Valley Inn Nursing Home on Monday, Oct. 11, 1999. She was 90 years old.
Frances married McKinley Phelps in Mancos on July 13, 1930. McKinley preceded her in death in 1969. Frances was a member of the Dolores Senior Center. She loved gardening and fishing.
She leaves behind her beloved children, Evelyn Burnham, of Newark, Calif., Dr. McKinley Phelps Jr., of Albuquerque, N.M., Roland Phelps, of Olathe, Colo., Dorothy McCormick, of Stratton, Colo., Frank Phelps, of Dolores, Anna Grasser, of Wauneta, Neb., and Fred Phelps, of Cortez.
Frances is also survived by 28 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, as well as two brothers, Lewis Armstrong, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Howard Armstrong, of Bradenton, Fla.; and her sister, Margaret Kasal, of Las Cruces, N.M.
Preceding Frances in death were her parents, her husband, and three children, Robert Phelps, Laura McWilliams, and Bonnie Johnson.
Ertel Funeral Home will be conducting the services.
Benjamin A. Fox
Memorial services for Benjamin Alfred Fox, 76, of Cortez, and formerly of Peoria, Ill., are set for Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 at the Cortez Elks Lodge beginning at 11 a.m. Mr. Fox was cremated.
Ben was born in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 28, 1923, the son of Benjamin and Mina Louise Strobridge Fox. He passed away at Mercy Medical Center in Durango, on Monday morning, Sept. 27, 1999.
Ben married Eleanor M. McWilliams in Arcadia, Calif., on May 11, 1943. Eleanor passed away in April of 1996. They had celebrated over 50 years of marriage.
Ben earned his Bachelor of Art degree from the University of Oregon. He also held a Masters degree. He began serving his country in 1942, in the Air Force during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam. Ben retired as a Master Sergeant on June 1, 1968.
He then moved to Rockford, Ill., where he worked for Sundstrand. In 1970, Ben and his family moved to Peoria, where he retired from WABCO in 1988. Upon his retirement, he and Eleanor moved to Cortez.
As all who have known Ben know, he was quite a busy and giving man. He was actively involved in the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, the American Legion, the Presbyterian Church of Cortez, Mariners of the Presbyterian Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the American Radio Relay League and the Southwest Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.
Ben is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Amy Fox, of Cortez; two granddaughters, Sharon Elaine Fox of Pleasant Hill, Calif. and Christine Michelle Fox of Austin, Texas; one grandson, Matthew Eric Fox, of Mahomet, Ill.; a daughter-in-law, Rachel Ann Somsen Fox of Mahomet.; and a sister, Lavonne Lacy, of Fossil, Ore.
In addition to his wife and parents, Ben was preceded in death by his son, Gerald Alfred Fox, on July 4, 1997; his daughter, Vicki Lynn Fox, on March 3, 1999; and grandson, David Keith Fox.
Memorial contributions may be made to he American Leukemia Society or to the Cortez Elks Lodge.
Arrangements were made through the Ertel Funeral Home.
Archie House Sr.
Funeral services for Archie House Sr., a lifelong resident of Towaoc, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999, at the Towaoc Presbyterian Church beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will be at the Towaoc Cemetery.
Archie was born to Asa House and Pearl Root Laner on March 20, 1941. He died at his home in Towaoc, on Saturday, Oct. 9, 1999. He was 58 years old.
Archie is survived by his mother, Pearl Root Laner, of Towaoc; six children, Yvonne House, Archie House Jr., Deanne House Wall, Stephanie House, Arlan House, and William House, all of Towaoc; 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; four brothers, Phillip Laner, Darwin House, Franklin Laner, and Alton House, all of Towaoc; and a sister, Glenna Rogers, also of Towaoc.
Ertel Funeral Home will conduct the services.
Imo E. Lowe
Graveside services for Imo E. Lowe, a longtime resident of this area, will be held Saturday, Oct. 9, 1999 at the Peel Cemetery
beginning at 11 a.m. James Sanders will officiate.
Mrs. Lowe passed away at the Vista Grande Nursing Home on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 1999, at the age of 89. She was born the second child of Jefferson Davis Knuckles and Clara Catherine Ann (Buffington) Knuckles on Aug. 21, 1910, in Ellington, Mo.
Imo married James George Lowe in Waterloo, Ill., on Nov. 11, 1933. From this union two children, James and Susan, were born.
Imo and Jim moved to Cortez in 1946 to help Imo's parents run the Navajo Campground. They later moved to Dove Creek where they owned and operated the Frontier Bar and Restaurant. 1955 found the Lowes moving to Dolores to run the Dolores Hogan, now known as the Rio Grande Southern Bed and Breakfast.
Imo and Jim accepted the position of Jailer and Matron for the Cortez City Jail in 1961, remaining at this job for 15 years. After that time, Imo also worked at the Cortez Addictions Recovery Unit and at the Goldtop Pool Hall.
Imo is remembered as a loving, happy and caring person. She could always laugh even in the midst of trying times. Her family and friends were the joy of her life.
On Dec. 1, 1954, Imo, her mother, and six of Imo's sisters all joined the Order of Eastern Star. This was a momentous occasion for them all.
Preceding Imo in death were here husband, James Lowe, in August, 1995; her daughter, Susan Axtell; her parents; and her grandson, Steven Axtell.
She is survived by her son, James C. Cooper, of Las Vegas, Nev.; five grandchildren, Cooper, Kim, Kristy, Marty, and Misty, and seven great-grandchildren; by her sisters, Maude Evans and Bertha Brewer, both of the Cortez area, Louie Randolph, Irene Randolph, Ruth Saunders, and Maxine Sanders, all of the Dove Creek, Egnar area; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ertel Funeral Home will be in charge of the services.
Rodney B. Horrocks
Funeral services for Rodney B. Horrocks, 81, of Mancos, will be held Saturday, Oct. 9, 1999 at the Mancos L.D.S. Church beginning at 3 p.m. Burial will be at the Old Mormon Cemetery. Officiating will be Bishop Dan Whitehead.
Born April 22, 1918, in Vernal, Utah, he was the son of Joseph and Rosella (Broadhead) Horrocks. He passed away at the Valley Inn Nursing Home on Monday Oct. 4, 1999.
Rodney married Phoebe M. Hatch in Vernal, Utah on Dec. 24, 1936. Phoebe died in February, 1996, months short of their 60th anniversary.
Rodney was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Rodney is survived by his children and their spouses, R. Dwain and Barbara Horrocks, of Spanish Fork, Utah, Melvyn J. and Esther Horrocks, of Mancos, LeRoy K. and Jane Horrocks, of Roy, Utah, Neil R. and Lila Horrocks, of Midvale, Utah, and Sherene and Patrick Goddard, of Dolores. Two children, Gayla Zufelt and Doyel Horrocks, preceded him in death. Rodney also leaves behind 33 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren, as well as his sister, Edna Broadhead, of Washington.
Ertel Funeral Home will be conducting the services.
Vivian Washburn Redd
Vivian Washburn Redd died Oct. 6, 1999 in Provo, Utah. She was born July 28, 1913 in Blanding, Utah to Francis Morley and Hazel Stolworthy Washburn. She attended school in Kirtland, New Mexico and received her nursing degree from Mercy Hospital in Denver, Colorado, in 1934. She married Alma J. Redd, Aug. 17, 1936 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were lifetime residents of Blanding, Utah and were in the livestock business in Colorado and Utah for many years.
She was preceded in death by her husband and grandson, Chris, in 1988. She is survived by her children, Patsy Shumway, Harold Redd, Gretchen Bray, and Marta Brown, 22 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She also has two sisters, Lydia Moffett and Ardel Graham of Provo, Utah.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 12, 1999, at noon in the Blanding South L.D.S. Chapel. Burial will be in the Blanding Cemetery. Funeral director is Don W. Palmer.
Maureen G. Chapman
Maureen G. Chapman, 49, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., died Friday, Oct. 1 at Stanford University Hospital. She was surrounded by family and friends.
A cheerful celebration in Maureen's honor is being planned for next spring; please contact the family for details. Cremation has taken place.
Maureen was born on Aug. 12, 1950 in Colorado Springs, Colo. and lived in Cortez for 22 years, where she raised two fine sons. She helped develop and operate the family business in Cortez and San Luis Obispo, where she had moved to in 1996.
She enjoyed hiking, children, friends, reading, watching wildlife and spending time by the ocean.
She is survived by Jim, her husband of 30 years and former City Engineer of Cortez; their sons, Ryan and Ben, all of San Luis Obispo; her mother, Albina Clow; sisters Patricia Swaen and Jeanne Faris, all of Denver; and brothers John Smithlin of Redwood City; Mike Smithlin of Boston and Tom Smithlin of Colorado Springs.
Bearl Moore
Graveside services for Bearl Moore, a longtime resident of Cortez, will be held Thursday, Oct. 7, 1999, at the Cortez Cemetery
beginning at 10 a.m. Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Ertel Memorial Chapel.
Bearl was born July 3, 1926, in Rose, Okla., to Ellis James and Jennie Well (Sisco) Moore. He passed away at his home on Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999, at the age of 73.
Bearl worked many years in this area as a carpenter. During World War II Bearl served his country in the Army.
He is survived by his children, Randy Bearl Moore, Holly Anne Moore, and Buddy Burr Clark Moore, all of Cortez; four grandchildren, Cody Moore, Keagan Moore, John Moore, and Cara Moore; two brothers, Wilkie Moore, of Medford, Ore., and Audie Moore, of Denver, Colo.; and three sisters, Bessie Looney, of Locust Grove, Okla., Pearl McManus, and Mary Ashbaugh, both of Cortez. He was preceded in death by his wife, Velma (Ashbaugh) Moore in 1990.
Memorial contributions can be made in Bearl Moore's name with Hospice of Montezuma, 1345 S. Broadway, Cortez. Ertel Funeral Home is in charge of the services.
Charles A. ‘Chuck’ Wright
Charles A. "Chuck" Wright passed away Sunday, Oct. 3, 1999 in Durango. He was 73.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m. at the Hood Mortuary Chapel in Durango, with Pastor Gerald Brush officiating. Interment will follow in Greenmount Cemetery.
Mr. Wright was born Sept. 2, 1926 to John W. and Ethel C. Wright, in Rattlesnake Butte, Colo. He has been a resident of the area since 1931.
He served in World War II in the Navy and received an honorable discharge for his service.
Chuck has been a farmer and rancher his entire life and was a member of the Hereford Association and the American Farm Bureau.
Chuck had a wonderful sense of humor and would talk to anyone for hours. He died a dignified death; the cause of which was a heart attack.
He is survived by his daughter, Jan Jackson of Albuquerque, N.M.; son Steve and Wife Joyce Wright of Arboles, Colo.; sisters Marion Elwell of Rye, Colo.; Eleanor Madill of Pueblo, Colo.; Nell Clark of Pagosa Springs; and Maxine Kolz of Montrose, Colo.; brothers Norman Wright of Ignacio; George Briar of Klamath Falls, Ore.; and Kenneth Briar of White City, Ore; his former wife, Lois B. Wright of Albuquerque; and two grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, Harold Wright and Ralph Briar.
