United States High School Yearbooks by County
Donald Thoren
Leadville resident Donald Thoren died peacefully at his home
June 3, 2004, surrounded by his family.
Thoren began his life in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he grew up
the youngest of six children. He was educated at the City
College of New York and Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute.
He began his career with AT&T as an engineer, and stayed
with the company for 36 years. His career with AT&T
afforded him the opportunity to travel the world and even
live in Greece for several years. Upon his retirement almost
ten years ago, he moved to the only place that felt like
home, Leadville.
While living in Leadville, Thoren was very active in the
community. He was elected to the Lake County Board of
Education and served as its treasurer. He also served as
chairman of the Leadville Chamber of Commerce, the board
of directors of the Mt. Massive Golf Course, and was a
member of the Leadville Elks Club, the Eagles and the
Leadville Gun Club.
Thoren was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting and
fishing. He was also a talented painter.
Donald Thoren was loved and will be greatly missed.
Thoren was preceded in death by his parents; sister Marilyn;
and brother Raymond.
He is survived by his wife Maryellen Thoren, Leadville; sons
Donald Thoren, Sterling, Va.; and Douglas Thoren, Raleigh,
N.C.; grandchildren Charlotte, Meredith, Kristine and
Zachary; sisters Dorothy, Carol and Lorraine; and daughtersin-
law Catherine and Janet.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to
the Pathways Scholarship Fund in memory of Donald P.
Thoren, Colorado Mountain College Foundation, P.O. Box
1763, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602.
Golden Wayne Woodruff
Former Leadville resident Golden Wayne Woodruff, 79,
Denver, died June 2, 2004. He was a resident of Leadville for
36 years. In 1996, he and his wife Bonnie moved to Littleton
to be closer to family.
Woodruff was born in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, on Oct. 23,
1924.
He served in the Canadian army during WWII.
Woodruff was preceded in death by his parents; daughter
Mary; three sisters; two brothers; and two grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife Bonnie Woodruff, Denver;
daughters Heather (Buddy) Stafford; Elaine (Len) Gilmore;
and Beth (John) Reynolds; and 11 grandchildren.
Funeral services were held in Littleton on June 5, with
interment in Firth, Idaho.
Elizabeth Helen Cavanaugh
Elizabeth Helen Cavanaugh, known to friends and family as
Beth, died May 31, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nev. She was born in
Leadville on June 10, 1915, to her parents James Edward
Cavanaugh and Mary Tonner Cavanaugh.
Cavanaugh attended St. Mary's School first through eighth
grades and Leadville High School ninth through twelfth
grades. She received her bachelor of arts degree in
elementary education in 1936 at Colorado State College and
later a master’s degree in guidance and counseling in 1961
at Colorado State University. Cavanaugh's professional
career spanned more than 50 years and included teaching
elementary school and junior high school, working as a
guidance counselor and serving as assistant principal and
county superintendent of schools. These years of working in
the field of education took place in Red Cliff, Crystal Lakes,
Soda Springs Loop School, Ninth Street Elementary School,
Leadville Junior High School and in the Milwaukee Public
Schools.
Cavanaugh moved in with the Kerrigan family for the next
several years after her parents died. She then left Leadville
in 1965 on a leave of absence from the school district and
spent two years at a convent in West Virginia. In 1967
Cavanaugh moved to Milwaukee and continued teaching
elementary school for more than 20 years. She lived with
her niece, Mary Louise Morrison. During Cavanaugh’s and
Morrison’s retirement years, they wintered in Las Vegas and
spent the summer months in Milwaukee.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Mary
Cavanaugh; her sisters, Sarah Kerrigan, Mary Morrison,
Margaret Cavanaugh and two other sisters, Katie and
Katherine, who died in infancy; her brother Edward
Cavanaugh who was killed in WWII; and most recently her
beloved niece Mary Louise Morrison. She is survived by the
Edward Kerrigan family, Dr. William Kerrigan and family, the
James Kerrigan family, Sr. Mary Ellen Kerrigan, Reverend
Michael Kerrigan, Noreen Kerrigan Cadieux and family and
James Morrison and family.
Cavanaugh was a member of her professional educators’
sorority and had many close friends in the Milwaukee area
She was a volunteer for the Little Sisters of the Poor, worked
at the parish office, volunteered at the elementary school
after she retired, attended Mass daily and enjoyed the love
and companionship of her friends and family. She was a gift
in many people's lives, and her wisdom, love and keen sense
of humor will be greatly missed.
Services will be held on Saturday, June 19, at 10 a.m. at
Annunciation Church. Fr. Mike Kerrigan and Fr. Leo Smith
will officiate.
Ronald Spencer Dump
Ronald Spencer Dump, 79, died June 20 at St. Vincent
Hospital in Leadville.
Dump was born in Redcliff, Colo., on Dec. 3, 1924, to Victor
and Blanch (Gay) Dump. As a young child, he lived on a
small ranch in the Camp Hale area before moving to
Leadville.
He worked for the New Jersey Zinc Co. at the Gilman Mine
and later for the Climax Molybdenum Mine as a mine
engineer until his retirement after 26 years of service to
Climax..
Dump served in the United States Air Corps and was
stationed in Italy fueling bombers during WW II. After
receiving an honorable discharge, he returned to Leadville
where he met his wife Nadine, who worked as a registered
nurse in Gilman.
Following his retirement for Climax, Dump worked for many
years as the Lake County surveyor, a job he very much
enjoyed.
Besides surveying, he also spent time fly fishing and
operating his ham radio keeping everyone abreast of the
weather in Lake County. He was a member of the Leadville
Carbonate Lodge I.O.O.F.
Dump is survived by his children Alan (Karen Eldredge)
Dump, Arvada; Lorie (Kent) Brumback, Clifton; and Starla
(Greg) Merling, Montrose; grandchildren Lyndsi, Krystal and
Tyler Brumback, Chris and Mandy Merling and John
Eldredge; great granddaughter Bailiegh; and sister Ruby
Crye, Morrow Bay, Calif.
Private family services are planned for a later date.
Arrangements are being handled by Bailey Funeral Home.
Sharon Mauden Mondragon
Former Leadville resident Sharon Mauden Mondragon, 53, of
Pueblo, died June 11 at St. Mary Corwin Hospital in Pueblo.
Mondragon was born on March 8, 1951, in Leadville.
She married Francis Leo Mondragon on Oct. 29, 1977. They
lived in Leadville until March 1999 when they moved to
Pueblo.
The couple resided at University Park Care Center in Pueblo
where Sharon Mondragon was involved in activities with all
of the staff and other residents of the center. Her presence
will be greatly missed by all.
Mondragon was preceded in death by her parents William
and Robbie (Cox) Herron; brothers Billy Wayne Herron,
Kenneth Dale Herron and Gary Herron; sisters Jona Mae
Herron and Barbara June Nelson; and her father and motherin-
law, Joe and Pablita Mondragon.
Mondragon is survived by her husband Frances Leo
Mondragon; stepdaughter Sharon Varela; and grandchildren
Frank Rascon, Leila Rascon and Brandon Rascon, all of New
Mexico.
She is also survived by sisters Nelta (Graham) Fryer,
Oklahoma; and Delta Sue Lamar, West Virginia; brothers-in-law
Fred (Mary) Mondragon; and One Mondragon, both of
Pueblo; sisters-in-law Becky Brito; and Eva (Amadeo)
Mondragon, both of Leadville; and numerous nieces and
nephews and other relatives and friends.
Mondragon was a devoted Catholic and enjoyed reading the
bible and attending bible study. She enjoyed needlepoint,
latch hooking and ceramics and was very good at board and
card games of all kinds. She especially enjoyed playing bingo
and watching game shows on T.V.
Cremation by Montgomery & Steward Crematorium in Pueblo
was followed by a memorial service in Leadville on Sunday,
June 20 at Annunciation Catholic Church. Interment was at
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to University Park Care
Center, 945 Desert Flower Blvd., Pueblo, CO 81001.
Wilmer “Bill” Olson
Wilmer “Bill” Olson, devoted and much-loved husband of the
late Yvonne G. Olson, died on June 16.
Olson was born in Leadville to John and Tillie Lief Olson on
Dec. 11, 1921.
He was proud to serve his country during both World War II
and the Korean Conflict, and was a Veteran of Foreign Wars.
Olson was a long-standing brother in the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks; he served as Exalted Ruler from
1982 to 1983 in Lodge #789, Pomona, Calif.
Known as “The Swede” to his classmates in Cripple Creek,
Colo., Olson went on to become the general manager of
quality control during an accomplished 40-year career with
the General Dynamics Corporation, a pioneer in the
aerospace industry. He also served as a community
patrolman for the Claremont Police Department’s VIP
Program, and was a member of the International Society of
Thespians.
He is survived by his daughter Jacqui Olson; grandchildren
Aaron and Karin; and loving great-grandchildren Acacia and
Milan.
A memorial service was held on Monday, June 21, at the
Todd Memorial Chapel in Pomona, Calif. Todd Memorial
Chapel was in charge of all arrangements.
