Search Archived Marriage Records
Kelly P. Murtagh
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church of Durango for Kelly P. Murtagh, a Durango resident who died Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1999, in Durango from a long illness. She was 34.
The Rev. Bill Postler will officiate at services. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery.
Ms. Murtagh as born March 25, 1965, in Smithtown, N.Y. She graduated from the Franklin Academy in Malone, N.Y., in 1983. She worked at the Malone Public Library before moving to Canton, N.Y., where she earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from St. Lawrence University.
Ms. Murtagh was an accomplished cross-stitcher and won ribbons in the La Plata County Fair in 1996, 1997 and 1998. She was an avid reader, short-story writer and guitar player. She was also very active with the Southwest Center for Independence.
Ms. Murtagh is survived by her mother, Billie Jean Murtagh of Durango; a sister, Alice Thompson of Durango; a brother, Richard Murtagh of Cupertino, Calif.; and, a niece, Stacey Owen of Durango.
Contributions may be made in her name to the Southwest Center for Independence, 1474 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301 or to the World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St. NW, Washington, DC 20037.
Eva Virginia Dunger
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Marvel United Methodist Church in Marvel for Eva Virginia Dunger, who died Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999, of natural causes. She was 81.
The Rev. Bud Rousset will officiate. Burial will be at Marvel Cemetery.
Ms. Dunger was born Jan. 9, 1918, in Marvel. She lived all her life in Marvel on the Dunger homestead.
Ms. Dunger was a member of the Marvel United Methodist Church and was involved in the functions that occurred at the Breen Grange. She enjoyed her cats and gardening.
Survivors include an aunt, Faye Brown of Pagosa Springs; a niece, Margie Wilson of Anvoy, Ill.; two nephews, Charles Williams of Hattiesburg, Miss., and Norman Ottaway of Henderson, Nev.; and several generations of nephews and nieces.
Ruth Gardner Adair Palmer
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel for Ruth Gardner Adair Palmer of Ignacio and Durango, who died Sunday, Nov. 14, 1999. She was 92.
The cause of death was not available.
Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. in the Hammond Cemetery
in Hammond, N.M., just south of Bloomfield, N.M. Visitation will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. today at Hood Mortuary.
Mrs. Palmer was born May 30, 1907, in Colonia Morales in Sonora, Mexico. Her family immigrated to the United States during the Mexican Revolution in 1912. She grew up in Hammond, where she married Clarence Adair when she was 17. Mr. Adair died nine years later.
She later married Alma James Palmer of Kirtland, N.M. They moved to a dairy ranch in Tiffany in 1947, where they lived for 18 years. In addition to gardening, ranching and raising a family, Mrs. Palmer served as a member of the LDS church’s Relief Society for the entire time she lived in Tiffany, as well as teaching Sunday School and doing many other jobs for the church.
Mr. and Mrs. Palmer returned to Kirtland after his retirement in 1965.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Clarence Adair and Alma James Palmer; her son, James Palmer; and her step-sons, Leon Palmer, George Palmer and Jack Palmer.
Survivors include her sister, Ruby Roundy of Lindrith, N.M.; her step-daughters, Madge Gabehart of Kirtland, N.M., and Alma Ivie of Farmington; her step-sons, Lyle Palmer of Center, Utah, Dale Palmer of Jalisco, Mexico, and Bruce Sterling of Cedar Hill, N.M.; her sons, Clarence Adair of Santa Teresa, N.M., Ivin Palmer of Tiffany, Perry Palmer of La Boca, N.M., and Charles Palmer of Ignacio; her daughters, Blanche Sego of Los Lunas, N.M., Nora Boice of Farmington, N.M., Venda Cavendar of Cortez, Ruth Barnett of Ignacio, Ragena Palmer of Tijeras, N.M., Dr. Charolette Leahy of Farmington, N.M., and Lillian Brady of Mesa, Ariz.; 80 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great-grandchildren.
Lee Ann Collins
Lee Ann Collins of Durango died Friday, Nov. 12, 1999, in Durango. She had suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for many years. She was 44.
The Rev. Larry Osborne will officiate.
Ms. Collins was born April 10, 1955, in Durham, N.C. She attended high school and college in North Carolina.
Ms. Collins moved to Durango in 1992 because of her love of the outdoors and the environment. She was an artist and did leather crafting.
Survivors include her father, E. E. Collins, her sister, Pamela Collins, and her brother, Joel Collins, all of Chapel Hill, N.C.; her sister, Judith G. Adcock of Durham, N.C.; and one nephew. She was also survived by her caregiver and special friend, Decatur Jones of Durango, who died Monday, Nov. 15, 1999.
Joint memorial services for Lee Ann Collins and Thomas Decatur Jones will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at Durango Christian Church.
Memorial donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Colorado Chapter, 1777 S. Harrison, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80210.
Thomas Decatur Jones
Thomas Decatur Jones died Monday, Nov. 15, 1999, in Durango. He was 46. The cause of death was not available. The Rev. Larry Osborne will officiate.
Mr. Jones was formerly of Chapel Hill, N.C. He was a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the University of Miami.
Mr. Jones was an accomplished classical musician and teacher. He was preceded in death by his special friend, Lee Ann Collins of Durango.
Survivors include his sister, Harriett Zimmerman of Lexington, N.C.; his brother, Al Jones of Wilmington, N.C.; and his cousin, Watts Poe Jr. of Chapel Hill, N.C. Joint memorial services for Thomas Decatur Jones and Lee Ann Collins will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at Durango Christian Church.
Anna Mary Goodpaster
Anna Mary Goodpaster died Saturday, Nov. 13, 1999, in Durango. She was 75.
The cause of death was not available.
Mrs. Goodpaster was born April 22, 1924, in Batesville, Ky.
She was a resident of Hesperus.
Survivors include her son, Jerry Goodpaster of Hesperus; two brothers, James Antras of Winchester, Ind., and Eddie Antras of Versailles, Ind.; her sister, Ida Antras of Milan, Ind.; her granddaughter, Teresa O’Connor of Durango; and her great-grandson, Joe O’Connor of Durango.
No services are planned.
Mabel C. Gardner
A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, 1999, at Hood Mortuary Chapel in Durango for Mabel C. Gardner, who grew up in Durango and died Nov. 10, 1999, in Durango. She was 87.
The cause of death was not available.
Elder Larry Barnes, assisted by Jim Montoya, will officiate. Burial will be in Csceola, Mo.
Ms. Gardner was born Dec. 25, 1912, in Cortez. She grew up in Durango and attended her 50th high school reunion.
She was an adding-machine tester in California, a member of the RLDS church, a Sunday school teacher and played the piano and organ.
She had been visiting in Durango with family and friends when she died.
She is survived by two sons, Glen E. Gardner of Collins, Mo., and Bruce M. Gardner of Blue Springs, Mo.; a sister, Opal Ponvert of Virginia Beach, Va.; two brothers, Delbert Jenkins of Gallup, N.M., and Marion Jenkins of Durango; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Victoria M. Atencio
A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church for Victoria M. Atencio, who died Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999, in Durango. She was 94.
The cause of death was not available.
The Rev. Joseph Gallegos will officiate. Burial will be at Greenmount Cemetery. Visitation will be 1:30 p.m. Sunday at Hood Mortuary. Rosary service will be 4 p.m. Sunday at the church.
Mrs. Atencio was born March 15, 1905, in Rito, N.M. She grew up in La Posta.
She married Louis F. Atencio, who preceded her in death in 1982.
Survivors include five daughters, Alvina Albo, Sarah Atencio and Cordy Atencio, all of Durango, Shirley Cordova of Portland, Ore., and Margie Rodriquez of Grand Junction, Colo.; a son, Paul Atencio of Durango; a sister, Ophelia Padilla of Ignacio; a brother, Manuel Martinez of Ignacio; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Myron K. Elliott
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Vallecito Baptist Church for Myron K. Elliott, who died Thursday, Nov. 11, 1999, in Bayfield. He was 73.
The Rev. Dick Smith will officiate.
Mr. Elliott was born April 4, 1926, in Ponca City, Okla. He grew up and attended school in Ponca City, Okla. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the LST 751 in the South Pacific.
Mr. Elliott married Bobbye Jean Shmidl on Aug. 6, 1949, in Kildare, Okla. He moved to Alamagordo, N.M., in 1955 and worked for Land-Air Inc. at Holloman Air Force Base until 1971. He and his wife retired to the Vallecito Lake area in 1985.
In addition to his wife, survivors include a son, Michael Elliott of Alamagordo, N.M.; a daughter, Pat Sedden of Los Lunas, N.M.; a sister, Maxine Watson of Lafayette, Calif.; and six grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the La Plata County Humane Society, P.O. Box 2164, Durango, CO 81302.
Authorities said the cause of death was an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
