Martha Paulson (5/13/2008)

Oct. 1, 1923 to Nov. 10, 2007

A memorial service for Martha Paulson will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, 2008, at Ridgway Community Church in Ridgway. A reception will be held immediately afterward. Burial will take place after the reception.

LaVara June Thompson (5/13/2008)

Ignacio native LaVara June Thompson died in Durango on Friday, May 9, 2008. She was 69.

Mrs. Thompson was born to Cassimero and Edith Baker in Ignacio on Feb. 14, 1939. She was raised in Ignacio.

On June 16, 1969, she married Bennett Thompson in Durango.

After raising her family, she worked for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a dormitory attendant and then a cook. She finally retired from tribal affairs while working in the Food Distribution Program.

Mrs. Thompson enjoyed bingo and time at the Sky Ute Casino as well as traveling around the United States with her family. She enjoyed sports and beading. Her family said that in addition to her active support of her family, she was also active in her community with monetary donations, community leadership and sponsorship of athletic programs.

Her family said Mrs. Thompson was proud to be a full member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and spoke fluent Ute.

Mrs. Thompson is survived by her family in Ignacio, including her husband of 38 years, Bennett Thompson; daughters Luana Herrera, Rebecca Thompson and JoGenia Garcia; sons Franklin Thompson, Keith Thompson and Shawn Thompson; sisters Ernestine Burch, Nova Burch and Cynthia Buckskin; and brothers Robert Burch and Dennis Burch.

A wake will be held beginning at 4 p.m. today, May 13, 2008, at the family home. A sunrise service will take place at the Sky Ute Pavilion Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

A funeral will occur at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2008, also at the Sky Ute Pavilion. The Rev. Kelly Winlock will officiate. Burial will follow at Ignacio East Cemetery.

Memorial Service

Kathy Fritch (5/10/2008)

Durango resident Kathleen Dorothy (Clark) Fritch died of ovarian cancer at Mercy Regional Medical Center on Monday, May 5, 2008. She was 74.

Known as "Kathy," she was born to Harold William and Ruth Clark in Minneapolis on Feb. 22, 1934.

Raised in Minnesota, she graduated with a bachelor of science degree in forest management from Iowa State University in Ames in 1956.

She worked summers for the U.S. Forest Service in Black Hills National Forest as a fire-lookout ranger, where she met her future husband, Don Fritch. The couple married on March 21, 1956, in Minneapolis.

She joined him in Germany, where he was stationed with the Army. Mr. Fritch worked with the Forest Service throughout his adult life, which took the family many places in the West. They returned from Germany to Spearfish, S.D., where Mrs. Fritch learned to ski. In 1960, they moved to Pagosa Springs and then to Durango in 1963.

When Purgatory Ski Area was developed, Mrs. Fritch became the first woman member of the Purgatory Ski Patrol. It was just one of many firsts in her life. She went on to become an instructor at the Silverton Avalanche School.

In 1977, the Fritches mo-ved to Jackson Hole, Wyo., where Mrs. Fritch joined the National Ski Patrol at Snow King Ski Area and Grand Targhee Ski Area. Summers found her working with the Forest Service on a helitack fire crew and fire control with Grand Teton National Park. Mrs. Fritch also organized the first Nordic Ski Patrol and Search and Rescue for Teton County.

She was the first woman in the National Ski Patrol to earn a "senior" classification in both the Nordic and alpine divisions. In 1982, she was named "Outstanding Ski Patroller" for the Intermountain Division and awarded the Silver Star for National Outstanding Patroller. Mrs. Fritch continued to teach at the Silverton Avalanche School and was a charter member of the American Association of Avalanche Professionals.

In 1988, when Mr. Fritch retired from the Forest Service, the Fritches moved back to Durango. Mrs. Fritch was active with the Hesperus Ski Patrol and organized the Hesperus Avalanche School.

For several years during the mid-1990s, she wrote a monthly article about outdoor survival for The Durango Herald .

During the years she was raising her children, as the children grew so did the number of activities that Mrs. Fritch was involved in. She was a foster parent, 4-H leader, Girl Scout leader and chief coordinator of what the family called the "Fritch Funny Farm."

Mrs. Fritch had a life of adventures, her family said, including climbing the Grant Teton and numerous ascents in the San Juan Mountains, skiing with family and friends, and exploring the deserts of the Southwest. She enjoyed kayaking and rafting the rivers of the Four Corners, including the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

Mrs. Fritch is survived by her husband of 52 years, Don Fritch, of Durango; daughters Robin Fritch of Durango, Mary Berning of Arvada and Darla Baumgarten of Eldridge, Iowa; son, Ken Fritch, of Denver; sisters Ruth Kamena and Mary Fry, both of San Francisco; eight grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held later this summer and will be announced.

Memorial contributions may be made to Southwest Oncology, 1 Mercado St., Suite 100, Durango, CO 81301.

Melba Rosefa McCoy (5/9/2008)

Bayfield native Melba Rosefa McCoy died at Four Corners Health Care Center on Wednesday, May 7, 2008. She was 89.

Mrs. McCoy was born to Dillard and Gertrude (Montgomery) Ethridge in Bayfield on July 30, 1918. Her maternal grandparents homesteaded east of Bayfield, and her father and uncle worked with the Wetherills at Mesa Verde.

She attended and graduated from Bayfield schools.

Her first marriage to Gilbert Loring of Bayfield ended in divorce.

On Sept. 15, 1939, she married William Chester McCoy in Aztec.

Mrs. McCoy was a homemaker and rancher all of her adult life.

She enjoyed gardening, reading, sewing, canning and socializing with family and friends. Her family said that there were many occasions when people in the area came to Mrs. McCoy, also called "Queen of the Valley," to ask her questions about homesteading or the coming and goings of the community.

"She was the matriarch of the North Texas Creek Valley," they said.

Mrs. McCoy had been a member of the Bayfield Presbyterian Church and, most recently, the Bayfield Church of Christ. She was a member of the Florida Aspen Club for many years.

Mrs. McCoy was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, William Chester McCoy.

She is survived by her daughters LaVonne Elston of Bayfield and Cheryl Sue Cowen of Durango; sister Berniece Spencer of Redding, Calif.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous other relatives.

Cremation will occur. A graveside burial of her ashes will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield. Chaplain Earl Caudill with Hospice of Mercy will officiate.

A celebration of what would have been her 90th birthday will be held in July. A time and place will be published at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1800 East Third Ave., Suite 101, Durango, CO 81301; Hospice of Mercy, 1970 East Third Ave., Suite 100, Durango, CO 81301; or the charity of choice.

Delbert James Wilkinson (5/7/2008)

Durango resident Delbert James Wilkinson died peacefully of natural causes at home on Monday, May 5, 2008. He was 90.

Mr. Wilkinson was born to James and Susie Wilkinson in Smiths Flat, Calif. , on Nov. 18, 1917. Raised in California , he served in the Army during World War II and was stationed in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, building landing strips for aircraft bound for Japan . He also helped build the Alcan Highway to Alaska.

He returned to Placerville, Calif. , where he married Elizabeth Read on Feb. 8, 1946. For the next several years, the Wilkinsons owned and operated a ranch. In 1965, they moved to Durango and built the Durango Travelodge (now the Durango Lodge), which they owned and managed. They spent many years traveling the world.

"He was a loving brother, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend who will be dearly missed," the family wrote.

His caregiver was Lora Marsh.

Mr. Wilkinson was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years in 2007.

He is survived by his older sisters, Dorothy Veerkamp and Fay Harsh, both of Sacramento, Calif. ; daughter, Judi Miller, of Durango; sons Jay Wilkinson of Durango and James Wilkinson of Tempe, Ariz. ; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.

A private family memorial will take place at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, 1280 S. Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231.

Della Marie Griffin (5/6/2008)

Durango resident Della Marie Griffin died of cancer in Grand Junction on Wednesday, April 30, 2008. She was 76.

Mrs. Griffin was born to Clarence and Vera Ukele in Silt on April 27, 1932.

She graduated from Glenwood Springs High School and attended Mesa College in Grand Junction.

On Feb. 1, 1953, she married Bill Griffin in Grand Junction.

They lived in the Denver area until 1970, when they moved to Durango.

Mrs. Griffin was a homemaker and enjoyed gardening. Her family said her flowers were "her pride and joy."

She was known as the "Flaky Flower Lady" at Hillcrest Golf Club because she had supplied the flowers for the club's golf functions for the last 30 years. She had been an avid golfer since the late 1970s and had three holes-in-one at Hillcrest, celebrating her first in 1976. Mrs. Griffin also served on the club's board of directors and held several offices in the women's club.

She also enjoyed bowling.

Mrs. Griffin was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Bill Griffin.

She is survived by her daughter, Cindera L. Haas, of Denver; son, Richard Griffin, of Grand Junction; brother Arthur Ukele of Clifton; sisters Ruth Pittenger of Grand Junction, Mary Jane Propernick of Buena Vista and Anna Lloyd of Montana; two granddaughters; two great-grandsons; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in Durango.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Grand Valley Senior Daybreak, 599 Thirty Road, Grand Junction, CO 81504; Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado, P.O. Box 60307, Grand Junction, CO 81506; or Junior Golf Program at Hillcrest Golf Club, 2300 Rim Drive, Durango, CO 81301.

Richard L. Harris (5/6/2008)

Former Ignacio resident Richard L. Harris died in La Veta on Saturday, May 3, 2008. He was 82.

Mr. Harris was born to Starley and Clara Ruth Schramm Harris in Amarillo, Texas, on June 21, 1925.

He married Adina Kirk on Jan. 30, 1946, in Melrose, N.M.

He farmed, ranched and was a mechanic and director of transportation for Ignacio schools for 23 years.

Mr. Harris enjoyed fishing, repairing things and spending time with his children and grandchildren. His family said he was well-known for his ability to fix anything as well as his kindness and generosity to others. He also enjoyed riding his motorcycle with side car.

Mr. Harris was preceded in death by his wife, Adina Harris.

He is survived by his son, Ron Harris, of Ignacio; daughter, Diane Keeling, of La Veta; sisters Ramona Darnell of Tucumcari, N.M., Elda Gordon of Princeton, Calif., and Mary Ella McCarter of Jal, N.M.; four grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 9, 2008, at Ignacio Community Church. Randall Haynes will officiate. Burial will follow at Ignacio East Cemetery.

Greyson Robert Fredette (5/4/2008)

Greyson Fredette, 23, died Friday, May 2, 2008, at his home in Durango.

Mr. Fredette was born Dec. 23, 1984, to Ray and Laurie Fredette in Durango.

His family wrote that he loved being at home and socializing with friends and family as well as weight training, video games, traveling and going to the movies.

He is survived by his parents, Ray and Laurie Fredette, of Durango; sisters Joslyn Fredette of Fruita, Chelsea Fredette of Durango and Krista Marshall-Fredette of Santa Cruz, Calif.; aunt and uncle Martha and Jim Walsworth of Sierra Madre, Calif.; grandparents Robert Fredette of East Moriches, N.Y., and Terry and Jim Lathrop of Sun City West, Ariz.; and numerous other aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Doris Fredette.

A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, May 10, 2008, at the Smiley Building Theater in Durango. Cremation will occur at Hood Mortuary Crematory.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the A-T Children's Project at www.atcp.org. The organization raises funds for research and support of victims of the genetic disease ataxia-telangiectasia.

Dwight Wilson Pierce Jr. (5/2/2008)

The father of Durango resident Polly Morgenstern, Dwight Wilson Pierce Jr., died from complications of kidney disease Tuesday, April 29, 2008, in Fort Myers, Fla. He was 84.

Mr. Pierce was born to Dwight Wilson and Isabelle D. Pierce in Manchester, N.H., on Feb. 22, 1924. In his infancy, the family moved to Bath, Maine, where he grew up and graduated from Morse High School in 1942.

During his freshman year at Bowdoin College, he was drafted and served in the 8th Army-Air Corps as a corporal in Britain during World War II. After the war, he returned to Bowdoin, graduating with most of his original classmates of the Class of 1946.

In September 1945, Mr. Pierce married his childhood sweetheart, Norma Steussy, in Bath, Maine. She preceded him in death after 27 years of marriage in 1972.

Mr. Pierce was a commercial casualty and bonding insurance broker and partner with the John C. Paige/Fred S. James Insurance Co. of Portland, Maine, until his retirement as senior vice president in 1989.

In 1973, he married Nancy Moses Beecher in Portland, Maine.

Mr. Pierce was an avid golfer and tennis player. He enjoyed reading, especially history, the Maine Coast and his winter home in Florida.

Mr. Pierce was particularly proud of his new great-grandson, Wyatt Alexander Hefner, who was born at Mercy Regional Medical Center two weeks before his death.

Mr. Pierce is survived by his wife, Nancy Pierce of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, daughters, Polly Morgenstern of Durango and Abby Oppenheim of Valencia, Calif.; and North Fort Myers, Fla.; sister Mary Hill of Topsham, Maine; two step-children; seven grandchildren; two great-grandsons; three nieces; and numerous cousins.

A memorial service is planned for the summer in Portland, Maine.

Judith Ann Brown (5/2/2008)

A memorial service for Judith Ann Brown will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Los Pinos Ranch, 1444 County Road 502 in Bayfield. Lunch will follow at the house.

Mrs. Brown was born Dec. 5, 1929, and died Dec. 8, 2007.

Robert Anthony Cleveland (5/2/2008)

Former Durango resident Robert Anthony Cleveland died at his home in Pahrump, Nev., on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. He was 74.

Mr. Cleveland was born Jan. 19, 1934, in El Monte, Calif., and moved to Durango in July 1974. He was self-employed as the owner of Durango Muffler. He moved to Pahrump in 1989, where he owned Pahrump Muffler Service.

Mr. Cleveland served in the Navy.

He was a member of Tirck Trucks as well as the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Moose lodges.

"Bob was a great provider for his family and a loving friend," his family wrote. "A day never went by that he did not live life to his fullest."

Mr. Cleveland was preceded in his death by his first wife of many years, Shirley (Candy) Cleveland.

He is survived by his wife, Shiony Cleveland, of Pah-rump; daughter, Robin Connelly, of Pahrump; sons Tony Cleveland of Durango and Honce Cleveland of Pahrump; sisters Mary Jane Adams of Palm Springs, Calif., and Eleanor Keifer of Palm Dale, Calif.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 4, 2008, at the family home, 1470 Carberry Lane in Pahrump.

A service in Durango will be scheduled once the family returns.