From Rio Blanco County, Colorado:
Daniel C. Peach
May 20, 1963 ~ July 3, 2003
Daniel C. Peach of Rangely, passed away Thursday, July 3, 2003, at his home at Trail Canyon. He was born May 20, 1963, in Hartford, Conn.
Peach is survived by his wife Jayne Kuck-Peach, his son Tyler Peach, parents Don and Anne (Tineke) Peach, his sister Diana Peach, his brother Justin Peach and stepsons Kellen and James Kuck.
Peach was raised in Glastonbury, Conn. He attended Brewster Academy in Maine and Woodstock Academy in Vermont. He moved to Rangely in 1981 where he worked for companies involved in the development of Western Fuels-Utah coal mine.
In December 1982 he married Amy Winchester whom he had met while they were students at Woodstock Academy. They had one son, Tyler, who was born June 3, 1984, in Rangely. In 1985 he and his family moved to Massachusetts where he worked as a carpenter. He and Amy separated and were later divorced.
He returned to Rangely in 1987 where he worked as a pipe fitter, pipeline foreman and heavy equipment operator. In 1992 Dan and Jayne Kuck exchanged commitments and moved to Trail Canyon where they undertook the reconstruction of an old homestead located in one of the most beautiful settings in western Colorado. From this location he did guiding and outfitting; natural gas pumping, metering and well-head maintenance; access road plowing and maintenance; heavy equipment contract work for ranchers and landowners; and in recent months work for Ace West Tucking.
Dan was an excellent musician, and his father said he was a 'master with a guitar.' He was a poet and an artist, particularly with wood and stone. He had that rare combination of artistic talent and practical abilities. He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, camping and adventures. Several times he and his father entered the 'Maybe Annual Almost Meeker to Rangely Canoe Race.'
The people for whom he worked respected his abilities and dedication to the idea of a good day's work. He was particularly proud of the work that he and Jayne did in the restoration of the old homestead at Trail Canyon.
A memorial service for family members was held July 9, 2003, in Rangely.
Donald E. Martin
July 5, 2003
Donald E. Martin, 59, of Meeker died July 5, 2003, at Pioneers Hospital in Meeker.
A native of Denver, Martin had served in the Army National Guard and had worked as a gas station attendant throughout life. He enjoyed the time he spent with this wife and attending the Meeker Chuckwagon.
Survivors include his wife Nancy of Meeker.
Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. today, July 10, at Highland Cemetery. Friends may call Thursday until noon at Cochran Memorial Chapels Meeker Mortuary.
Marcelle (Steinmetz) Ely
September 23, 1922 ~ September 6, 2003
Marcelle (Steinmetz) Ely, 80, passed away in Auburn, Calif., on Sept. 6, 2003. She was born to Antone and Lottie Steinmetz in Rio Blanco County. She attended schools in Meeker and graduated with the class of 1940.
She married Ray Ely on Dec. 26, 1939. They made their home at the ranch on Strawberry for a time where Ray was in the ranching business with his parents. They moved to Clifton, Colo., in the late 1940s. Ray had a mechanic shop there for several years. They moved to California in 1952 where they owned several different businesses in northern California.
Ray and Marcelle's union was blessed with two children, Leon and Alice. Marcelle was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and a friend to all who knew her. She was an excellent cook and seamstress.
She leaves to mourn her passing her husband of nearly 64 years; her daughter Alice of Auburn, Calif.; five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; two sisters and husbands, Melba (Don) LeFevre of Meeker; Maxine (George) Reid of Palisade, Colo.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her son Leon, her parents, one sister and two brothers. Services were held in Auburn, Calif., on Sept. 10, 2003.
Nancy J. LaGrange
January 9, 1974 ~ September 12, 2003
Nancy J. LaGrange, 29, of Laramie, Wyo. died Friday, Sept. 12, 2003, in Casper, Wyo. She was born Jan. 9, 1974, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Robert Hamor and Kathryn (Keiiser) LaGrange. Shortly after she was born, the family returned to Laramie where she attended A.A. Slade Elementary School, graduating from Laramie High School in 1992. On May 12, 2001, she was graduated from the University of Wyoming with a B.A. in psychology and sociology. She had recently worked as a substitute teacher in Laramie.
She was an active member of Harvest Four Square Gospel Church of Laramie and was an active volunteer whenever needed. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert H. LaGrange, Jr.
She is survived by her mother, Kathryn LaGrange, and sister Ann LaGrange, both of Laramie; a grandmother Rosemary LaGrange of Meeker and a niece Robretta Kassahn, also of Laramie.
Private inurnment will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made in her memory to St. Paul's United Church of Christ Special Gifts for children in need at 602 E., Garfield St., Laramie, Wyo. 82070.
Services were under the direction of Montgomery-Stryker Funeral Home.
John Valton Guthrie, Jr.
September 13, 1968 ~ August 28, 2003
John Valton Guthrie, Jr., 34, of Aztec, Colo., passed away Thursday, Aug. 28, 2003, in Meeker, because of an auto accident. Valton, as he was known to his friends and family, was born Sept. 13, 1968, to Patty Williams and John V. Guthrie Sr.
Guthrie enjoyed camping, rock hunting, fishing and anything that he and his family could do together.
He was a Boy Scout leader, worked with his girls in Girls Scouts and coached YAFL football.
Guthrie was a jack-of-all-trades working as a plumber's helper with his father, roughnecking with his stepfather and eventually starting his own handyman business. He also worked as compressor hand for Cooper Energy.
He is survived by his daughters; Daysha Gonzales and Danica Guthrie; son, Jerico Guthrie; former wife, Tracy Jones Guthrie; mother Patti Shockley Williams and stepdad Don Williams; father, John Valton Guthrie Sr. and stepmom, Renee; brothers, Robert, Jeremy and Trenton Guthrie; sisters, Anita, Melissa and Amanda Williams; stepsisters, Chana, Stacey and Heather; paternal grandparents, V.H. Bill and Johnny Guthrie and James and Chris Choquette (memaw and pa); along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends
Services were held Sept. 2, 2003, at the Bethel Baptist Church in Aztec followed by burial at the Aztec Community Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Chris Horton, Andy Choquette, Richard Rerrick, Trenton and Jeremy Guthrie and Harold Gaudorn, Jr.
Honorary pallbearers were Robert Guthrie, Will Jones, Bones Jones, Mike Ballard, Curtis Pennington, Trey Switzer, Pat Garcia, Gary Gomez, Albert Shelby, Aaron Leeb, Yaya Hernedizes and Mike Hiel.
Stella N. Kritsas
December 26, 1950 ~ September 18, 2003
Stella N. Kritsas, 86, of Meeker died Sept. 18, 2003, at her home in Meeker.
A native of Lamia, Greece, Kritsas immigrated to the United States following her Dec. 26, 1950, marriage to Nick George Kritsas in Lamia. After coming to Meeker, she settled into being a ranchwife on the family ranch at the base of Nine Mile Hill. She loved to garden and attend St. John's Greek Orthodox Church.
Survivors include her four children, George, Nick and Tom Kritsas and Jane Holland, all of Meeker, two granddaughters, Naomi Holland, a college student in Prescott, Ariz., and Antoinette Holland-Gonzalez of Meeker and two great-grandsons, Mark Anthony Holland-Gonzalez and Jesus Manuel Gonzalez. She is also survived by a large extended family in Greece.
Her husband preceded her in death on March 28, 1969.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday from St. John's Greek Orthodox Church in Craig. Interment will follow in the Highland Cemetery in Meeker. Cochran Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.
