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Dan Stanley 'Dobbin' Shupe
Dan Stanley "Dobbin" Shupe, 68, died Saturday, June 5, 2004, in Wickenburg, Ariz. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Mr. Shupe was born in Taos, N.M., on March 13, 1936, the son of Leola and Guy Shupe. The family came to Colorado in 1944. The Shupes have lived at Vallecito Lake since 1949.
Mr. Shupe and his first wife, Caroline Shupe, owned and operated Weminuche Wilderness Adventure Pack Outfit and The Big Corral Riding Stable for 33 years.
Mr. Shupe is survived by his wife, Nancy Shupe of Wickenburg; his children, Terri Herrington of Durango and Troy Shupe of Colorado Springs; his grandchildren, Jason Herrington of Lamoor, Calif., Daryl Herrington of Durango, Colton Shupe of Arizona, and Tanner and Savannah Shupe, both of Troutsdale, Ore; his sister, Juanita Jordan of Durango; and his first wife, Caroline Shupe, of Bayfield.
A memorial service will be held at Vallecito Baptist Church at 11 a.m. Saturday. A potluck will be held at Virginia's Steakhouse after the service. Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice.
Bettie Jane Wood
Bettie Jane Wood died Thursday, June 3, 2004, at her home in Ignacio. She was 74.
Mrs. Wood was born Jan. 30, 1930, in Burlington, the daughter of Floyd and Harriet Jackson. She was reared three miles from Chimney Rock at the bottom of Yellow Jacket Pass near the bridge over the Piedra River. She and her brother, Bud, spent a lot of time swimming, fishing and ice skating there.
In later years, Mrs. Wood spent a lot of time at Navajo Reservoir camping with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends.
Mrs. Wood is survived by son, Harvey F. Robbins of Navajo Dam, N.M.; daughters, Kaunditta K. Sanchez of Arboles, Roxine A. McCoy of Ignacio, Cheryl A. Bailey of Modesto, Calif., Charline F. Bailey of Ignacio and Vanessa N. Bailey of Durango; a brother, Bud Jackson, and his wife, Elsie, of Cortez; and 19 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
"Mom, we thank you for the wonderful memories," Kaunditta Sanchez said.
A memorial service is scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Ignacio. A wake and potluck picnic to celebrate the life of Mrs. Wood is scheduled at 1 p.m. the same day at the Lower Piedra Campground. Cremation will take place at Hood Mortuary.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Mercy, 375 E. Park Ave., Durango CO 81301. The family wants to offer special thanks to Gayla, Gerri, Sherry and Roxanne from the hospice and Wendy Fielding, a hospice volunteer, as well as Dorothy and Leroy Salazar.
Barbara McDonald
Barbara McDonald, 96, died Wednesday, June 2, 2004, in her daughter's Durango home. She died of cancer, said Mrs. McDonald's son-in-law, Tom McMillen.
"She fought it off and fought it off. She was a little trooper," McMillen said.
Mrs. McDonald was born Barbara Straton in 1908 near Boston. She graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles and taught school for many years in the Alhambra district of California.
She married the late William McDonald.
Mrs. McDonald moved to Durango three years ago to be near her daughters.
"She loved to go to the Sky Ute Casino and play poker," McMillen said. "Twice she hit the royal flush, once just recently, and won about a thousand dollars. But then she got too sick to go. She read a lot, too."
She was a member of P.E.O., a women's society, in California and later in Durango.
Mrs. McDonald is survived by her daughters: Marsha Stuck and Joan McMillen, both of Durango; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild
She will be buried in California with her husband. No local services are planned.
Gilbert Shorty Pinto
A loving father and husband, Durango resident Gilbert Shorty Pinto, 43, died on Tuesday, July 27, 2004, at the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, N.M. The cause of death was cirrhosis.
Mr. Pinto was born on Aug. 5, 1961, in Fort Defiance, Ariz., to Elford Pinto and Eva Billy. He grew up in Many Farms, Ariz.
He worked as a concrete finisher all over the Four Corners area.
Mr. Pinto's wife, Etta Poyer, said, "He was a lovely, friendly person. He loved animals and going to the rodeo." He also enjoyed playing with his children, particularly basketball. Mrs. Poyer is a newspaper carrier forThe Durango Herald.
He is survived by his grandmother, his mother, his wife, five daughters, one son, two sisters and two brothers.
A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. today, at the Chinle Catholic Church in Chinle, Ariz.
An account has been set up at The First National Bank of Durango under the name of The Pintos to help his wife and six children.
Sam Edwards
Sam Edwards, a veteran actor, died Wednesday, July 28, 2004. Mr. Edwards, who moved to Durango in 1980, died at the age of 89 following a heart attack. At the time of the attack, Mr. Edwards and his wife, Beverly, were on the way to Cheyenne, Wyo., for Frontier Days.
He was the third generation of a show-business family. He was born to Edna Park, who had her own dramatic stock company, and Jack Edwards, her leading man and producer of the company, on May 26, 1915, in Macon, Ga. He made his stage debut as a baby in his mother's arms.
During his teenage years, Mr. Edwards starred with his brother, Jack Edwards, in "The Adventures of Sonny and Buddy," a radio show that was written by their mother about two young boys who traveled with a medicine show. The family moved often as dramatic stock shows gave way to radio and talking pictures.
During World War II, Mr. Edwards was drafted into the U.S. Army. He joined a group of entertainers who were assigned to write and produce a live show to raise funds for the Army Recreation and Welfare Fund. The resulting "Hey Rookie" show was supposed to run for two weeks, but proved a smash. It lasted for eight months with standing-room-only audiences every night.
It closed when Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower called for more entertainment for the troops overseas. Before peace was declared in 1945, Mr. Edwards and his fellow performers had entertained more than 2 million troops in North Africa, Italy and the China-Burma-India Theater. At the war's end, he was in an Army hospital in India recovering from his third bout of malaria.
On his return to the United States, he returned to show business. He considered the part of the teenager Dexter Franklin on "Meet Corliss Archer," which lasted for eight years, the role that defined his career.
He made the transition from radio to movies and television. He had parts in many prominent movies, including "Twelve O'Clock High," "Hello Dolly," and "Operation Pacific." His voice can be heard as Thumper in the movie "Bambi" and Tigger on Winnie the Pooh recordings.
He appeared on countless television shows, including "Gunsmoke," "Dragnet," "The Andy Griffith Show," and "I Love Lucy." The television role for which he is best known is banker Bill Anderson on "Little House on the Prairie."
He married Beverly Motley on April 19, 1969, raising her three children as his own.
After retiring from acting, he and his wife traveled extensively.
He is survived by his wife, Beverly Edwards, of Durango; son Bill Edwards of Ashburn, Va.; daughters Deborah Billings of Corona, Calif., and Linda Cameron of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; grandsons Alexander Edwards and Zachary Edwards, both of Ashburn, Va., and Gordon Cameron of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; granddaughter Sarah Rolland of Corona, Calif.; brother Jack Edwards of Green Valley, Ariz.; and nephews Alan Edwards of Fallbrook, Calif., and Steven Monroe of Durango.
There will be a cremation and no services are planned. Memorial contributions in the name of Sam Edwards may be made to the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound, 3663 Carr Place North, Seattle, WA 98103.
Charles Anthony Durnin
After years of working with young people, Charles Anthony Durnin, 51, died on Friday, July 23, 2004, in Hartsel. The cause of death was heart failure.
Mr. Durnin was born on Aug. 6, 1952, in Milford, Conn., to Charles Anthony and Florentine (Caprio) Durnin. He graduated from Notre Dame High School in New Haven, Conn. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree in anthropology and sociology at Quinnipiac College in Hamden, Conn., and a master's degree in secondary counseling from Adams State College in Alamosa.
He married Sharon Englehart on Nov. 6, 1982.
Mr. Durnin worked for 12 years as a substance-abuse counselor in Ignacio and at Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center in Durango. For the past 13 years, he worked as a guidance counselor, sponsor for the American Indian Science and Engineering Club and Knowledge Bowl coach at Montezuma-Cortez High School.
He was an avid reader and loved the traditional ways of the American Indian elders. He played the mandolin and guitar, and also sang. He was known for his contagious wit and enjoyed meeting new people. Mr. Durnin maintained close ties to many students long after they graduated.
His wife Sharon said, "Through his walk in life, Charles brought together many people from diverse geographical, cultural and spiritual points."
He loved the fur trade rendezvous that he attended with his family and was an honorary member of the War Eagle Society. He was honored by his ceremonial adoption by American Indian grandparents, Allen and Mary Neskahi.
He is survived by his wife, Sharon Englehart; sons James M. Durnin and Christian Durnin, all of Mancos; father Charles A. Durnin of Green Valley, Ariz.; father-in-law and mother-in-law Stanton and Pat Englehart of Durango; brother-in-law Michael Englehart of Aztec, N.M.; nephew Jason Englehart of Farmington, N.M.; and niece Clarissa Englehart of Bozeman, Mont.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, at a site 7.2 miles up Montezuma County Road 44, the road that goes to Echo Basin.
Louise Towles Gechter
Louise Towles Gechter, a longtime Durangoan, died on Sunday, July 25, 2004, of natural causes.
She was born on Jan. 12, 1913, in Holcomb, Kan., to John and Lou Towles. She married David I. Gechter on July 3, 1938, in Argonia, Kan. The couple moved to Durango in 1959.
Mrs. Gechter, 91, was employed by Turner Insurance for 16 years, retiring on Jan. 1, 1976.
"She didn't have any children of her own," said her sister-in-law Norma Gechter. "But she was especially nice to her nieces and nephews, and they certainly appreciated that."
She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Durango.
She was preceded in death by her husband, David Gechter, on May 19, 2002.
She is survived by many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 2, 2004, at the First United Methodist Church in Durango. Following cremation, her remains will be interred in Cimarron, Kan.
The family requests that contributions be made to the Colorado Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 681, La Junta, CO 81050.
Frank E. 'Sam' Maynes
Prominent attorney and community member Frank Edward "Sam" Maynes, 70, died on Sunday, July 25, 2004, at his home in Durango, Colorado. The cause of death was lung cancer.
He was born in Silverton on Nov. 28, 1933, to Sam and Louise Maynes.
Mr. Maynes was preceded in death by his wife, Jacqueline, in 2003.
He is survived by his mother, Louise Maynes of Durango; daughters Michele Hurley of Colorado Springs and Melinda Higgins of Kamuela, Hawaii; sons Sam W. Maynes of Durango and Mark Maynes of Seattle; grandchildren Jack Maynes of Cortez, Samantha Maynes, Michael Maynes and Madelyn Maynes, all of Durango, Emalia Higgins and Koa Higgins of Kamuela, Hawaii; Chelsee Hurley and Christopher Hurley of Colorado Springs; and a brother, Bernard Maynes of Fort Collins.
A memorial service for Mr. Maynes will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 30, 2004, at the Fort Lewis College Community Concert Hall. A party honoring him will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Southwest Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Society, P.O. Box 2717, Durango, CO 81302.
Hazen C. Schouman
While he lived in Durango, retired Lt. Col. Hazen C. Schouman shared his passion for skiing by working with the disabled clients of the Adaptive Sports Association. He died on Monday, July 19, 2004, in Green Valley. The cause of death was a massive heart attack.
Mr. Hazen, 75, was born in Boston to Doris and Hazen Schouman on Jan. 31, 1929.
During his career in the U.S. Army, he served two tours in Vietnam in 1965 and 1969. He also served two tours in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1960 and 1974.
After his retirement, he lived in Durango from 1980 to 1992. Kristin Hilliard, the program director of the Adaptive Sports Association at the time, said, "He was instrumental in securing one of the first mono-skis that was available at Purgatory, which opened up a whole new world for the ASA." She also said, "He had the most giving heart of any person I've ever met in my life."
He was a member of the UCLA Alumni Association, Retired Officers Association, Chi Kappa Sigma, Army Otter-Caribou Association and a former volunteer at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley.
He is survived by his daughters Lisa Schouman Henry of Johnstown, Karen Schouman Maher and Jennifer Schouman Henz, both of Albuquerque, N.M.; and five grandchildren.
A memorial celebrating his life was held last week at his home.
Gertrude `Gertie' Birdsill
Gertrude "Gertie" Birdsill died Friday, July 9, 2004. She was 90.
Mrs. Birdsill was born Feb. 15, 1914, in Arvada, to Ralph Erskin and Anna Leuthe Goodlett. She spent all her life in Colorado, especially in the Middle Park area. She was adventurous and loved the outdoors and used to talk about ice skating on Sloan's Lake in Denver in the 1920s, her daughter said. She loved sharing her 1940s pictures of camping and being pulled on skis and sleds by both horses and cars. She was once quite the talk of Granby after she chased a deer down Main Street with a broom because the deer had torn all of her clean laundry off the clothesline.
She and her husband, A.C. "Fritz" Birdsill, made a lot of friends in 90 years and they would often receive more than 200 cards from friends at Christmas.
She remembered tearing cloth for soldiers' bandages during World War I while she was in kindergarten, and during World War II, her family had French soldiers visit their home for the holidays. They celebrated Christmas Day by rounding up cattle.
Mrs. Birdsill was a beautician for 20 years and owned her own businesses in Granby and Berthoud. "She was best known for her strong faith in God which she lived every day, as well as her happy, `full-of-life' attitude," said her daughter, Betty Sampson.
She was known for her intelligence, quick wit and sense of humor, and always spoke her mind, Ms. Sampson said. She was a Bible scholar and taught Bible classes for many years, often being called on to clarify something or settle a dispute on chapter and verse. In 1965, she joined the Child Evangelism Fellowship, which brought her from Berthoud to Durango.
She was a loyal Gridiron Green player and enjoyed watching pro football games on TV.
She spent many weekends with her granddaughter Alison, making their favorite lemon meringue pie.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years on July 5, 1982.
Mrs. Birdsill is survived by a daughter, Betty Birdsill Sampson of Durango; a granddaughter, Alison Brooke Hiam of Durango; one brother, Roy Goodlett of Oregon; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Durango. Jeff Dobesh will officiate. Mrs. Birdsill's friends are welcome to attend and share their memories of her life.
