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Ruth A. Walden
Ruth Walden, 64, of Erskine, Minn., passed away Saturday, Jan. 1, 2005, in Ramsey, Minn.
Ruth Agnes Walden was born Feb. 4, 1940, in Grand Forks, N.D., the daughter of Hover and Regina (LaMoine) Vigen.
She grew up in East Grand Forks, Minn., and graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic School.
On August 9, 1958 she was united in marriage to Dan Walden, in East Grand Forks.
Ruth attended and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1992.
She received her Masters Degree at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn.
She taught school in Warroad and Bemidji, Minn., and worked for the school district in Elko.
They returned to their home in Erskine, Minn. in September 2004.
Ruth is survived by her husband Dan of Erskine, Minn.; children, Scott and Dawn Walden, Ramsey, Minn.; Paula and Greg Kurtz, Thompson, N.D.; Ross and Paula Walden, Buxton, N.D.; Charles and Jeanne Walden, Portland, N.D.; eight grandchildren; brothers, James and Barbara Vigen, East Grand Forks, Minn., Alfred and Candice Vigen of Grand Forks, N.D.; and sister, Margaret, and Ray Walden, East Grand Forks, Minn..
Ruth is preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Mary Ann Coons; and one brother, Howard Vigen.
Services will be held 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, in Stennes Funeral Home Chapel, East Grand Forks, Minn.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, in Stennes Funeral Home.
Inurnment will be at St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery, Mentor, Minn., in the spring.
Betty Mauldin
Betty Mauldin lost her battle with Huntington's disease Jan. 1, 2005, at 52 years of age. She was born in Cheyenne, Wyo. Betty was the wife of Don Mauldin of Carlin. She was the beloved mother of Cricket Cassady, Dannie Patton, Homer Patton and H.N. Patton.
She also leaves behind six step-children: Sheila Emme, Crystal Archuleta, Clif Mauldin, Rick Mauldin, Julie Davis and Debbie Barnum.
Betty has four grandchildren and 15 step-grandchildren.
Betty was a resident of Midtown Manor in Salt Lake City, Utah, for many years. She moved on to a better place.
Betty loved to laugh. She enjoyed reading and going to church.
We will miss you and are looking forward to the time we will meet up again.
Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, at 10 a.m. at Carlin First Baptist Church.
Pastor Tim Shields officiating.
Burial will follow in the Carlin City Cemetery.
Richard "Dick" Wayne Combs
Dick Combs, age 77, of Elko, died in Reno Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, at the home of his son, Michael.
Dick was born July 26, 1927, in Glenn's Ferry, Idaho.
When he was four, his parents, Wiley and Cleora, moved to Nevada, first to Wells and later to Elko.
Dick fell in love with horses at an early age, spending as much time as he could riding in the Adobe Range, especially in Kittridge Canyon, east of Elko.
At the age of 12, Dick decided to get into horse racing, actually buying his first race horse, Mr. Keaton.
Dick attended Elko County schools and was drafted into the Merchant Marine while still in his junior year of high school.
After completing basic training at Catalina Island, he took a troop train to San Francisco, Calif., where he was assigned to the SS Jupiter Inlet, a seagoing tug berthed at Pier 19 at the San Francisco wharf.
World War II ended in Aug., l945, and, after being discharged in November of the same year, Dick hitchhiked home to Elko.
After graduating from high school, he went to work for the Nevada Department of Transportation.
During the four years Dick worked for the highway department, one of his most memorable jobs was working on the road just north of the Adobe Ranch.
It was a dirt road from the Mountain City highway over Susi Creek, then to Carlin.
Dick's nickname for this road was the "Burma Road".
According to him, he moved a lot of rocks and ate dust all day long.
In l947, Dick married Wanda Dodd.
Their son, Michael, was born in l948.
A second son, Patrick was born in 1953. The couple divorced in 1960.
Shortly, after divorcing Wanda, Dick married Donna Barkdull Westman. She had two children, Claudia and Danny.
Although the marriage didn't last long, they enjoyed good times together.
In l950, Dick bought the old Moody Ranch on Bullion Road.
It was only 80 acres, but he said it was heaven to him.
The ranch had corrals and a large barn that still stands today.
Dick raised and trained many horses while living on this ranch.
In the mid '50s, Dick, Paul Vizina and Joe Ingersall pooled their money to buy a thoroughbred quarterhorse, "Mexico Twist." Dick and Paul borrowed a horse trailer and hitched the trailer to Paul's car, then headed to New Mexico. After several problems with the lights on the trailer and a poorly welded bumper hitch, Dick and Paul managed to retrieve the horse and return to Elko.
Throughout Dick's racing days, he owned many quarter horses and thoroughbreds such as Mexico Twist, Mucho Leo, Bud's Beau Deck, Little Desert and many others; all campaigned at the Elko Race Track.
In l956 Dick Toothman, manager of the Stockmen's Hotel, recruited Dick and began grooming him to be his assistant manager at Stockmen's.
As part of his training, Dick had to spend time in every department of the hotel, including the front desk and at blackjack tables.
After Stockmen's burned down in l957, Dick went to work at the Ranch Inn as a blackjack and craps dealer.
He also worked at the Commercial Hotel for a short period of time.
He returned to the newly constructed Stockmen's in l961 as a pit boss and manager until he retired in Feb. 2000 after 40 years in the gaming industry.
During the '70s, the McCulloch Corp. was expanding its Spring Creek development to include a horse palace for equestrian events.
Board members, recognizing Dick's special talents, approached him to oversee the building of the facility.
He took a leave of absence from Stockmen's to do so.
Dick married Joyce Noyes in 1963 and they had one son, Steven, in 1967.
Though later divorced, they remained close friends, spending many days hunting and fishing together.
In 1967, Dick became a member of the Elko County Fair Board and, in 1969, the manager of the Elko County Fairgrounds.
During his 25 years as manager, he was instrumental in enlarging the racetrack from 1/2 mile to 5/8 mile with wider turns.
A VIP lounge and 30 box seats were added as well as new barns and stalls.
A new starting gate was installed. He also oversaw the change from mechanical to computerized tote boards and computerized pari-mutuel machines.
During the county fair, sometimes he acted as racing secretary and often published a tout sheet.
But, on most days, you could find Dick on a tractor in the infield or harrowing the track, working on the barns, taking care of the paddock or any of the various jobs associated with the fairgrounds.
He retired in 1994.
Dick was an avid hunter and fisherman, always looking forward to deer and chukar seasons.
He spent many days fishing Wildhorse and Wilson Resevoirs and the creeks and streams of Elko County until his health would no longer permit it.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Wiley and Cleora Anderson Combs and sister Shirley Stenovich.
He is survived by sons, Michael (Lynn) Combs, Reno; Pat (Tina) Combs, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Steven Combs, Elko; three grandchildren, Michael, Carson City, Amanda, Reno and Torie, Elko; three great-grandchildren, Shanda, Sarah, and Colton, and a niece, two nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m., Jan 3, 2005, at the Presbyterian Church, 1559 Sewell Dr., Elko, to be followed by a reception at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall, 731 VFW Way.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Circle of Life Hospice, 575 DeLucchi Lane, Suite 214, Reno, NV 89502; The American Lung Association, P.O. 7056, Reno, NV 89510; or to any charity of your choice.
