Obituaries

May 20, 2022

Terri Luann Meyer Terri Luann Meyer, a lifelong resident of Cortez Colorado, passed away unexpectedly in her home on May 20, 2022 at the age of 65. Luann was born in Cortez on May 19, 1957. She graduated from Montezuma- Cortez High School in 1975 and went on to attend a semester at Fort Lewis College in Durango. Since then,...

May 20, 2022

Robert James Driver Born in Durango, CO April 19, 1949; Departed on May 20, 2022; and resided in Dove Creek and Cahone, CO. Robert (Bob) Driver died Friday, May 20, 2022, in Durango, CO. He was 73 years old. A Celebration of Life will be held for all Friends and Family June 25, 2022 at the Dove Creek Community Center...

May 19, 2022

Patricia Faye ‘Patty’ Brown was born December 18, 1946 in Berryville, AR to Dollie and Reuben (Slim) Cox. She passed away peacefully in her home, with her husband by her side, in Nucla, CO on May 19, 2022. Patty was 75 years old The Cox family moved to Cortez, CO in 1955 when Patty was eight years old. Patty lived...

May 19, 2022

Our beloved Bret Joseph "Joe" Wilson, 48, went to his eternal reward on May 19, 2022, following a tragic accident at his home in Cortez, CO. Joe was born on June 26, 1973, after surprising his parents, Richard and Elizabeth Michel Wilson with an unplanned home birth. From then on, he was pretty unconventional in how he did things. He...

May 18, 2022

Mary Ella Gurule was born October 1, 1943 in Cheyenne, WY the daughter of Benitio and Maria Estrella (Montoya) Sanchez. She passed away on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Junction Creek Health Center in Durango, CO at the age of 78. Surviving Mary are her loving spouse, Philip Gurule of Cortez, CO; her children, Brenda Marquez of Cortez, CO, Janet...

May 15, 2022

Eva Belle Hooten was born August 27, 1940 in Cortez, CO the daughter of William Gottlieb and Emma (Wayman) Koppenhafer. She passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2022 at Larchwood Inns in Grand Junction, CO at the age of 81. Eva was raised in Cortez and graduated from the Montezuma County High School in 1958. Eva took ballet lessons as...

May 15, 2022

Funeral services for Towaoc resident Charlesten Von Navanick will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 20, 2022 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Mr. Tyrone Navanick and Mr. Rutherford Mills Sr. will officiate. Interment will follow at Cortez Cemetery. A Wake will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 1280 Highway 491, Towaoc, CO. Charleston was born June...

May 13, 2022

Funeral services for Cortez resident Josefina Guadalupe ‘Lupe’ Buchholz will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Father Paul Sretenovic will officiate. Interment will follow at Goodman Point Cemetery. Visitation will take place at 10 a.m. and a rosary at 10:30 a.m. before the service. Josefina Guadalupe (Lupe) Orozco-Buchholz, born March 19, 1934. Our...

May 13, 2022

Maxymilian L. ‘Max’ Peschel was born June 22, 1951 in Lincoln, NE the son of Richard and Johanna (Elenga) Peschel. He passed away on Friday, May 13, 2022 at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, CO at the age of 70. Surviving Max are his loving wife, Joan Mercurio of Cortez, CO; and his siblings, Sandy Friend of Pueblo, CO, Richard...

May 12, 2022

Funeral services for Dolores resident Matthew Leroy Montoya will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at the Evangel Assembly of God Church in Cortez, CO. Pastor Jeff McDonell will officiate. Interment will follow at Summit Ridge Cemetery. Matthew was born August 25, 1989 in Cortez, CO the son of Sherry Lynn (Herrera) Montoya and Max Joseph Montoya...

May 7, 2022

Graveside services for Frankie Lola (Harless) Amrine will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022 at Goodman Point Cemetery. Frankie was born November 14, 1931 in Lebanon, CO the daughter of Shelby and Ava Delta Harless. She passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2022 in Vancouver, WA at the age of 90. Surviving Frankie are her daughters, Cheri...

May 7, 2022

Carmen Sanford Miller was born May 20, 1927 in Elma, IA the son of Carl Juel and Sigrid Marjorie (Munson) Miller. He passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, CO at the age of 94. Surviving Carmen are his spouse, Jo Ann Betten of Cortez, CO; his son, Scott Miller (Yuriko) of Durango, CO;...

May 3, 2022

Arleen Diane Amaral of Mancos, CO was born September 24, 1939 in Oakland, CA the daughter of Daniel and Alberta (O’Tool) Amaral. She passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, CO at the age of 82. Surviving Arleen are her loving spouse, Norman Hanson of Mancos, CO; her children, Mark Jon Tompkinson of...

May 2, 2022

Everett L. Ward 1933 - 2022 Longtime Cortez resident Everett Lee Ward passed away on May 2, 2022. He was 88 years old. Everett was born May 31, 1933 in Del Norte, CO to Edmund N. and Ethel M. (Link) Ward. He was the oldest of three brothers and the tenth generation of his ancestors who arrived in America at...

May 1, 2022

Apr 30, 2022

Beth Norton Partner of Cortez, CO was born on May 11, 1927 in Panguitch, UT the daughter of Wm. Taylor and Elsie Dean Norton. She passed away on April 30, 2022 at Vista Grande in Cortez, CO at the age of 94. Beth and Alfred were married on February 18, 1946 in Panguitch, UT. Three years later, they were sealed...

Apr 29, 2022

JOEL DEAN GRAUBERGER

Joel Dean Grauberger was born November 7, 1943 to Wesley William and Bessie Lucita Elliott Grauberger in Sterling, CO. He was 5th of 8 children who grew up on the family farm. He helped with the chores and raised the crops. He graduated in 1961 at Sterling High School. Shortly after October 20, 1963 he married Judy Medlan....

Apr 24, 2022

John Lewis Kelly was born May 16, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois to Lewis Aaron Kelly and Ora Mae (Ambrose) Kelly and passed away in Cortez, Colorado on April 24, 2022 just shy of his 97th birthday. John grew up in Chicago and in Shelby, Michigan where he graduated from High School. The extent of John’s legendary spirit of adventure, and...

Apr 22, 2022

Christa Elsbeth (Riemann) Burpee 5/24/1933 – 4/22/2022 Christa Elsbeth (Riemann) Burpee was born on May 24, 1933 in Magdeburg, East Germany. She had one older brother, Klaus, and a younger sister, Renate, both predeceased her. Christa successfully escaped from East Germany to Berlin, where she worked as a waitress, met and married a U.S. soldier, and then moved to the...

Apr 17, 2022

Carolyn Lea Hausen was born March 25, 1932 to Charles and Marie (Loy) Shepherd in Thayer, Iowa and passed away on Easter, April 17, 2022 at her residence in Cortez, Colorado surrounded by family. She proudly met her goal of living to celebrate her 90th birthday. Carolyn grew up in various towns in Iowa but spent the latter years of...