Obituaries

Dona Mae Aja

Dona Mae Aja

Jan 9, 2020

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Dona Mae Lovitt Aja. She was born December 8, 1932 in Great Bend, Kansas, the daughter of Willard and Viola Lovitt. Dona went to meet her Lord peacefully on January 9, 2020 at the Madison House with family by her side. She was laid to rest in the Cahone cemetery,...

Barbara Jean Turman

Barbara Jean Turman

Jan 8, 2020

Barbara Jean Turman was born June 26, 1941 in Tupelo, OK the daughter of Albert and Olga (Hogue) Perry. She passed away on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, CO at the age of 78. Surviving Barbara are her children, Bobby Gene Turman, and Barbara Ellen Carnes; and her siblings, Alma Comer, and Albert Perry. Barbara...

Frances Louise  'Fran' Buck

Frances Louise 'Fran' Buck

Jan 6, 2020

A Celebration of Life will be held for Cortez resident Frances Louise ‘Fran’ Buck from 3 – 5 p.m. Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Fran was born April 28, 1941 in Newark, NJ the daughter of Andrew Arthur and Mary Elizabeth (Gardner) Zacher. She passed away on Monday, January 6, 2020 at Vista Mesa Assisted Living at...

Della Mae Dietz

Della Mae Dietz

Jan 5, 2020

Della Mae Dietz (Shupe) was born on August 29, 1929 in San Angelo, Texas. Della passed away at the age of 90 in the presence of her loving family of 5 generations on Sunday, January 5, 2020 at her home. Della is survived by her husband, William J. Dietz (Bill); children, Janet Robinson, James Dietz and Allen Dietz; grandchildren, John...

Mary  Ellen Ekstrom

Mary Ellen Ekstrom

Jan 3, 2020

Mary Ellen Rapp Ekstrom passed away on Friday, January 3, 2020 after a courageous 18 month battle with Bulbar Onset ALS. She was born December 15, 1950 in McKees Rocks, PA the daughter of Earl Ralph and Mary Elizabeth (Recka) Rapp. Mary Ellen was a kind and sweet person who was adored by all who knew her. She spent her...

Wayne Lee Gustafson

Wayne Lee Gustafson

Jan 2, 2020

A Celebration of Life and Potluck for Cortez resident Wayne Lee Gustafson will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, January 10, 2020 at the Lewis Arriola Community Center. Mr. Sheldon Zwicker will officiate. Wayne was born January 30, 1973 in Durango, CO the son of Charles Wayne and Carla Jo (Weaver) Gustafson. He passed away on Thursday, January 2, 2020...

Madelyn Grace Daly

Madelyn Grace Daly

Jan 2, 2020

Madelyn Grace Murray was born July 18, 1926 in Globe, Ariz. to Raymond R. Murray and Tina Blanche (Putnam) Murray. She passed away peacefully January 2, 2020 in her sleep at her home in Cortez, Colo. Madelyn grew up in southwest Colorado and northwest New Mexico with her baby sister, Opal (b. 1928). Their parents worked ranching, mining, farming and...

Wilma Ellen Robinson

Wilma Ellen Robinson

Jan 1, 2020

Wilma Ellen Robinson, 80, of Dolores, CO passed away January 1, 2020, in Grand Junction, CO. While swimming laps, an activity she loved, she experienced an unexpected, spontaneous brain hemorrhage. Wilma was born June 18, 1939, to Milton Russell and May Zoe (Huntamer) Notter in Tacoma, WA. Wilma grew up in Washington state (putting in her time in the rain)...

James Owen 'Jim'  Thayn

James Owen 'Jim' Thayn

Dec 28, 2019

Jim Thayn, a long time resident of Cortez, CO, passed away unexpectedly on December 28th, 2019, at the age of 66 while at home in Cortez. He was born on November 22nd in 1953 to Margie Ruth Colby Thayn and James Owen Thayn. In his younger days, Jim first started his career in mining, working mines across Eastern Utah and...

Paul Simon Bates

Paul Simon Bates

Dec 28, 2019

Paul Simon Bates, of Cortez, CO., was born July 21, 1951 in Buffalo, NY the son of Anthony and Wanda Rose (Smith) Bates. He passed away on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at Southwest Memorial Hospital at the age of 68. Paul’s parents Anthony and Wanda Rose (Smith) Bates raised Paul along with 10 other children in New York. Paul spent...

Herman Ray Mccabe

Herman Ray Mccabe

Dec 26, 2019

Herman Ray McCabe Jr. “Ray” was born on March 8, 1949 to Pauline and Herman Ray McCabe Sr. in Cortez, CO. He entered Heaven’s gate on December 26, 2019 in Cahone, CO with family at his side. Ray was one tough hombre, a Navy Vietnam Era Veteran, an entrepreneur, a great husband, a special dad and granddad, just a special...

Wendy Lin Campbell

Wendy Lin Campbell

Dec 24, 2019

A Celebration of Life will be held for Cortez resident Wendy Lin Campbell from 2 – 4 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2020 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Wendy was born November 23, 1976 in Colorado Springs, CO. She passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at her residence at the age of 43. Surviving Wendy are her spouse, Eric Campbell of...

Paula Sue Graves

Paula Sue Graves

Dec 24, 2019

Paula Sue Graves beloved wife, mother, grandmother, (Granny Graves), sister, aunt and friend went home to be with the Lord last Tuesday, December 24, 2019, at the age of 78, at her home in Cortez, Co. with her husband, Marvin, by her side. Memorial service for Paula will be held Saturday, January 4, 2020 at First Baptist Church, 100 N....

Stella Rose Neeley

Stella Rose Neeley

Dec 22, 2019

Stella Rose Neeley of Globe, AZ passed away December 22, 2019 at the age of 77 at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, TX. After living most of her life with her family in the Cortez, Durango, Mancos Colorado area she and her surviving husband, Bryon C. Neeley, moved to Globe, AZ and then spent most summers at their mountain property...

Phyllis Maurine Hall

Phyllis Maurine Hall

Dec 21, 2019

Phyllis Maurine Rice Hall passed away on December 21, 2019. Phyllis was born in Quinter, Grove County, KS on June 10, 1934 to Levi Leon Rice and Vera Loree Chestnut Rice. Phyllis was the great granddaughter of Thomas J. Chestnut, an Irish immigrant, and granddaughter of Maggie Wah-Pe-Ko-Niah, a Native American of the Sauk and Fox Nation, and granddaughter of...

Chief Roy Charles Lane

Chief Roy Charles Lane

Dec 20, 2019

CHIEF ROY CHARLES LANE Services for longtime Cortez resident Chief Roy Charles Lane will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 28 at the Cortez Recreation Center located at 425 Roger Smith Ave. in Cortez. A reception will follow at the recreation center. Roy was born September 26, 1944 in Muleshoe, Tex. the son of Charles Welch and Clara...

Owen Michael Gore

Owen Michael Gore

Dec 19, 2019

Memorial services for Dove Creek resident Owen Michael Gore will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, January 2, 2020 the Dove Creek First Baptist Church. Mr. Travis Randolph will officiate. Owen was born April 3, 2011 in Redmond, OR the son of Shane LeRoy Gore and Velvet Ranae Lee LaFon. He passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2019 at Southwest...

Ruthanna Marie Dougherty

Ruthanna Marie Dougherty

Dec 18, 2019

Ruthanna Marie Dougherty was born January 9, 1958 in Watseka, IL the daughter of Bernard Ray and Jennie Marie (Johnson) Torbet. She passed away on Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, CO at the age of 61. Surviving Ruthanna are her spouse, John Dougherty of Cortez, CO; her daughters, Christina Saunders (Matt) of Auburn, MI, and...

James  Rooney "Jim" Henry

James Rooney "Jim" Henry

Dec 15, 2019

JAMES ROONEY “JIM” HENRY Graveside inurnment services for Cortez resident James Rooney “Jim” Henry will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 23 at Cortez Cemetery Jim was born July 11, 1962 in Denver, Colo. the son of James Downing and Linda Louise (Rooney) Henry. He passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Southwest Memorial Hospital at the...

Emma Johniece Dunnam

Emma Johniece Dunnam

Dec 15, 2019

Funeral services for Cortez resident Emma Johniece Dunnam will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, December 20, 2019 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at Arriola Cemetery. Johniece was born March 29, 1952 in Cortez, CO the daughter of John Davis and Sarah Elizabeth (Morgan) Sutherland. She passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at her residence at the...