Lonnie Earl Elliott

LONNIE EARL ELLIOTT Funeral services for lifelong Montezuma County resident, Lonnie Earl Elliott will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Empire Street Chapel. Interment will follow at the Lebanon Cemetery. Visitation has been set for Friday afternoon from 3-5 p.m. at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Lonnie was born the son of Dick and Martha Gertrude (Griffeth) Elliott on Oct. 7, 1934 at Dolores, Colo. He passed away at the Heart Hospital of New Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M. on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2004. Lonnie was 69 years old. On Aug. 17, 1957 Lonnie married Mary Louise Owens in Cortez. Lonnie and Louise settled less than a mile from where he was born. Lonnie and Louise opened Lonnies Glass in 1965. He worked very hard to build a strong and productive business. He liked telling people he was the biggest glass man in Cortez. Through the years Lonnies Glass has grown and expanded to a new facility and continues to provide a living for several families and will continue to strive in providing the community with quality service that he would be proud of. As a young man he was active in 4-H. He enjoyed softball, basketball and loved being outdoors. For a man of his stature, Lonnie was remarkably agile and very competitive in snowmobile racing, and horseback riding. He got great pleasure in working with his horses and was a very proficient team roper. Throughout his life Lonnie enjoyed hunting and fishing. He shot competitively with handguns in the Sheriff Posse for many years winning numerous team and individual awards. Lonnie was a member of the Four Corners Rifle and Pistol Club and competed in the Fall and Spring pistol shoot. He got great enjoyment watching his grandchildren learn to shoot. Lonnie was a proud member of the Montezuma County Sheriff Posse Search and Rescue. He was an active member for many years serving a Major several times. He also worked his way up the State Posse ranks and served as Colonel for two years. Lonnie served as President of the Montezuma County Fair Board and was proud of being part of the team that was crucial in obtaining the county’s fair grounds. Surviving Lonnie are his wife of 47 years, Louise Elliott of Dolores; his children, Heath Elliott of Dolores, and Debbie Dunham of Columbus, Neb.; daughter-in-law, Melissa Elliott of Dolores; and six grandchildren, Miranda Elliott, Jared Woodrow, Jesse Johnson, and Ashley Johnson all of Dolores, Ryan Dunham and Jade Dunham both of Farmington, N.M. His sister, Vonda Judge; and brothers, Jerry Elliott and Glenn Elliott all of Dolores also survive Lonnie; as well as many other close relatives local and abroad. Lonnie was preceded in death by his parents; and two older brothers, Forest and Richard.