The Thoughtful Years: December 1979

The Thoughtful Years: December 1979

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1979-12

Ignacio; Ignacio Senior Center; Southern Ute; Bayfield; Arboles; Allison; Tiffany; Oxford; Southwest Colorado

Monthly newsletter published by the Ignacio Senior Center with various contributors describing local news, events, obituaries, and biographies of prominent community members living in Ignacio, Colorado and the surrounding area.

Text

English; Espanol

Ignacio Senior Center

Smith, Shelby

EUGENIO VALDEZ
11

I -was born in Chama, Colorado, (1+ miles east of San Luis) in the
San Luis Valley on ifovember 1 5, 1 895. ~{l~ parents, Serafin and Toni ta
Valdez were farmers, raising wheat, peas and livestock. }fy father's
parents were originally from Los Ranchitos, N.M. near Espanola, but
migrated into Colorado before my father was born. I have four brothers
and two sisters. That does not count several others who died before
they were gro;m. ·when I was 7 years old I started to school at Cha.r:-,a.
Durlng the school tE;rm I stayed with my mother's parents, Trinidad and
Juanita. Sanchez, whose farm was close to school. Every !::'.;.orning the
sc_hool janitor fired up the pot-belly stoves in each of the three
rooms. At the end of the day each teacp.er .had to sweep the classroom.
Mr. David G~ul was my first teacher~ All of us were Spanish speakers.
They tried to teach us English, but it didn 1 t work too -:.iell. Every text
book was in English._ We would sound out the words and Hr. Gaul would
translate; It was slow work and not too interesting. But we enjoyed
baseball ganes and ether activities at noon and during recess. Also,
we helped pass
the ti~e of day with mischievous pranks during the
school day. 11
11
After seventh grade I stayed home to help may father with the
farm work. I did this until I was 25 years old. If I had any extra
time, I worked for wages on other farms. When I 'Has about 16 years
old, ffiY father hired Albino Baca and his facily to herd,sheep, Little
did I know I v.·ould .some d.ay marry his daughter, Earia Inez, who at
that time was only a 7 year old girl. I never saw Maria again until
9 years later two c.ays before our wed.ding. 11
11
When I was 25 years old, rr!Y parents decided. it was tj_ce for me
to get ~arried. They thought over the possibilities and remembered
.Albino Baca 1 s daughter must be about old enough to □arry. The custom
of parents arranging their children's n:.arriages was a very old. and
traditional way, bu-c I had no objections. A little after Christt:e.s
my mother and father hitched up their buggy to pay Albino Baca a
visit. He lived on a farm near Red Wing, Colorado, a two day journey
across the mountain,3 t.hxough La Veta ?ass. The ,.~ed.d.ing was arranged.
I went to San Luis to buy a ~ed1ing dress, shoes and other clothing
as a gift to -r:,y bride. ·1.'his was also an old tradition for the groon
to present the bride with a trunk full of beautiful clothes just before
the wedding. Cn the 16th of January, 1920, r2y parents, ny grandparents
an aunt and an uncle and I loac.ed up two buggies and began the trip tn
Red Wing. About half way over the ~ountain was an abandoned sa~ mill
-where we ca~ped for the_ night. The next day , ',,;hen we arrived at rte a.
°\,'ling, the facilies were introduced and my ur..cle took his buggy on to
the ho~e fo a friend several miles away-to stay the night. I went to
our buggy to bring the trunk to lfaria, but found it was missing. !·:y
dad headed back to the saw mill, thinking we had left it there. After he
left, my uncle retu~ned because he had found the trunk in his buggy.
I got on a horse to catch rny father. By the time I overtook him and
returned to Red Wing it ..,,as midnight. 11
11
I was very pleased with rr.y parent's choice. Maria was very pretty
and was well trained. Even though she was young, she cou+d cook and
sew and everything else a i,life needs to do. We were married in church
on January 20, 1920. We took her two little brothers who were ages
3 and 7 home to raise. Maria had taken care of them since their m.o ther
died."

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-s:,,

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"At first we lived in a house p r ovided by the farmer I worked for .
Two years later I built a two -room adol;le house on my fathe r' s land.
Pi.aria and I h ad seven children . They are: Leonardo, Rudolfo, Eugenio,
Ad
L :1.'la, Ignacio and Ben . Her little brothers were Isaac and
1
Fr~t~; 0 •
In 1 940 we moved to Florence where I ·,10rked on the turnip
and on:1.on farms. Just as soon as one crop was harvested , we planted
tber a.s long a s t he season lasted . Earia died in 194 3. I :::1oved
0
c~nter and liv~d the r e until 1958 . In 1958 I r:arried Rose Green
~d w e mo ved to her farm. east of I gnacio where I r aised cattle and
oats · until I r etir ed Rose d i ed in 1977. I stayed on the farm until
9?8 when I moved to the senior citizen aparti!lents north of Ignacio
'Where I still live .

f
f

Shelby Smith

GENL."tu\L MEETING

A general meeting of the Southern Ute Tribal :r:1embership will be
hela.. at the Community Center on Dece nber 14th at 9 : 0G A.;.f.
Pah-Chu-Chu-Wa Club met Honday, November 26th at the Presbyterian
Church annex .
The Chris t mas party .will be held Monday evening, De cembe r 10 th at
tho Presbyterian Church .
.
Each roereber is to br ing _a $1.00 gift for exchange and the gifts
for the rest home.
Each member is to bring a chri stmas goodie of some kind. Roll
call will be g i ven with so~ething pertaining to christrnas.
Olive Dillon introduced Virginia
Lunsford, who gave a very interest11
in
r ;gr a!Il on "Can-Sur- Nount •
g
p
Sheryl lfayf i eld and Violet Sarr.s served ref r e sh.men t s .
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"-..J
The county Ex tension Christrr:as Party was held Tuesday, December 4th
at the ext ens ion build ing in Durango . It was potluck . He1!lbers from
Hapoy Homer.:iak~rs __l!.xte ns~o.r:i Club attending ~~e!'e: 011 ve Dillon , !Tona _
Roberts Jannie Kinf , Cnristine Ca llison , Lul a Preston, Carmen Hea ,
Vivian aici1anond Virg inia Richr:!onci , and Th el J:,a Wri ght .
V

Remember December 25, 1960 the first year of the decade of the
60s. Here are a few items from the Ignacio Chieftain and Bayfield
Blade for December 23 , 1960.
Charlotte Jones
Santa Claus was to arrive that Friday evening and distribute
gifts to the children of I gnac io and surrounding col'.!'.!!!lunities. The
arrangements were being made by Town Harshal, Frank Davis . The ne:-:i~e rs
of the Lions Club had spent a busy week sacking the candy and nuts.
The annual Chr ist□as party of the Southern Ute Tribe was being
held at the junior high s chool gy:r,nasium. The party would include
singing by tribal groups, a visit from Santa and a dance under the
sponsorship of the Ute 4-E club .
A group of young people went caroling at the Valley View Nursing
Home at Bayfield .
The Ignacio Bobcat·s beat Dulce in a prelea-gue season basketball
game 75-'56.
The Ted Graves family adopted the small puppy, who had been
abandoned. The pup had been put in Ted's car.

***********
Christmas Eve services were held in the Ignacio Presbyterian
Church with the Rev . Don I..yday bring5.ng the t!essage.
The Ignacio l-~us ic Club ~embers at their Dece::rrber meeting voted to
buy additional unifor~s like the Ute Vocational School band unifor0s.
Garth Gaylord was t:ie music instructor.
La Plata Elect~ic failed to elect new directors at the 1960
annual meeting~ La ?lata Electric had recently purchased some land
near KIU? to build a new RE._4 building .
U~ s. Rep. Wayne Aspinall and H. Re~ Lee, deputy Co:!l!!lissioner of
Indian Affairs, 1.,1ere guests of honor, at a luncheon at the Tribal Re creation Hall during their official visit to the tribe. Buffalo meat
was served.
Congressman Aspinall compli~ented the tribe on the outstanding
progress that has been ~ade in recent years under the Rehabilitation
Progran , and. said he often held up the two Ute tribes of Colorado a s
examples of tribes, which are naking unusual achieve!nents in handling
their affairs • .
Isaac ?eacock, his daughter Lydia and two c,f the dorm girls,
Vivian .Jack a..rid l 1artha Begay baton twirlers and :precision marchers 1.-1ere
going to 21 Paso, Te::as along with other r.:er:bers of the Navajo Triba:._
Band were to be in Zl Paso, Dece.r:ber 30 to take part in the Sun Bo·...rl
football ga~e paTadE.
Tne Peacocks, Viviar-. and. ::artha ·Here tc be in ;,'ashi~gton, D. C.
Januery ~7 t o =a r c~ in t he Inacgural ? a raa e a s Jack Kennedy is ins ta:led
as uresidr!1t of the Unite(~. :3tatc s.
- The January 1st Chief tain noted it snowed nost of Christmas Day.
The power was off for nearly an hour Christn:as morning. The entire
weekend was one of bad -weather.
Arboles was shut off from the ·world - s now and also a power line
fell onto the telephcne wire Christmas morning. No radio either. James
Walker of Arboles drove tc Durango on Christnas night to inform REA of
the plight of the co:r.munity.
On that happy note best wishes are extended for the 1979 holiday
season . • •••.
1

TRIBAL CHRISTH.i".S EVENTS

This year the Tribal Christnas Party will be held at the Co~nity
Center on Wednesday, Decel:ilber 19th at 7:00 P.M. and Christmas Dinner
will also be at the Corn:unity Center frox 3:30 to 6:30 on Saturday,
Dece'.":lber 22nd. All menbers of the tribe are invited.

***********

Thanksgiving dinner at the ho~e of Bob and Zelta Hott was
enjoyed by the family, the Hot ts two sons , he r r:::other , l·!rs . Freddie
Newton and his parents, Emmett and Je ssie Hott . Corrii.n g ho~e for
the Thanksgiving holidays ~as their daughter, Ca.my. Camy a nd a
friend ca~e fro~ Arlington, Texas. She graduated l ast spring fro~
Ignacio High and is now attending the Schoool of Design in Arlington
which is near Fort :.forth.

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Driving to Phoenix to spend Thanksgiving week were 1-frs . Ruby
Hailey and Earl and Ruth Fisher. The famly Thanksgiving dinner was
at the ho:i:ie of the Fisher 1 s daughter, a...n.d lJ>s . Hailey's granddaughter
and fa!:lily, Kent and Earline J. Carlson and t wo children. J._ls o nm,
living in Pho"enix and. being -with them was the Fishers son, Dale and
his far::iily.
They returned Tuesday morning, the 27th.

***********
Mrs. Hary Patrick who has been living at the Patrick ranch with
her grandson Gary ~as in Gallup for Thanksgiving with LEe and Jean
Patrick. She planned to stay with. them until the first part of
Decemqer.

***********
Frank and Leona Everett began their Thanksgiving holiday season
early. They left on the 17th and flew to Detroit to visit a nephew
and his facily. It was their first trip to Detroit. Then it was
back to Denver anc a week of visiting relatives in Denver and Idaho
Springs before returing home.

***********
The World Co□munity Day program prepared by Church WoCTen United
was the thet:1e of the Thanksgiving Praise Service Wednesday afternoon,
November 28th in the Allison Community Church.
The wo□en of the Larger Parish were invited to join the Allison
women in this vJorship service.
RefresluJents were served in the annex following the service.
Attending from th~ Ignacio church and the Friendship Circle were:
Llizabeth Riggin, Bessie Pennell, Olive Dillon, Grace Patrick, Heinie
Gardner, Ruby Hailey and Ann Fo~eman.

V.rs. Jannie King joined family members for Thanksgiving Day
events in both Bayfield and Ignacio. For the noon dinner, she
was with her daughter, Beth and husband, Jim So~er and their two
sons at their ho::1e in Bayfield. la'. Sower's parents, Cecil and
Gertrude Sower were also guests.
In the evening the To~..rr:.y King fa~ily me~bers were at the home
of Jannie King's granddaughter, Brenda and husband, Leland Landsverck.
The Landsvercks had been living at Fruita, Colo., but recently
moved· to the former home of the Melvin Rodriques family on south
Browning avenue.

***********
Thank.sg1.ving d5:nner at th€ home of Mrs. Onal Price was in the
evening as her daughter, JeriLee Kavelman and~a friend were driving
from El Paso Thanks g i v-ing Day to be home for the Thanksgiving dinner.
They left Sunday to return to El Paso.
Charles and Sheryl and baby Jessie Price were also Thanksgiving
dinner guests.

***********
For thirteen vears Melvin and Joanne Roclriaues lived 5.n the
600 block on Browning avenue in a house 0'8ned b}: 1-:rs. Jessie Hott.
This was for r:any r::any years the hor:e of i-:.rs. Hott I s parents, l·Ir.
and Hrs. Jess St.aufi'er.
For nearly two years thE: Rodriques farr.ily have been building a
ne,1 home on the hill north of Ignacio on 172. Althot:.gh there is
still wor}: to be done on this ho::e the Rod.riq_ues f ar:::iily which includes
four daughters moved. this fall to their new location.

***********
Mrs. Harie Brm-m was in Ignacio Monday, N'ovwer 26th. She visited
in the norning at the ho~e of the R.H. Gardners.
Coming -with 2-'.rs. Broim was her daughter, !frs. Jeannette Valdez
and daughter Beth.
Jeannette 1.-,as here for a dental appointr:ient. She has enlisted
for a terr::? of four :'ears in the Air Force. Following her basic
training she e:-cpects to be as signed to the Lackland Air Force Base in
San Antonio, Texas. Her ~aining will be in the field of electronics.
The Brmms, Marlon and l•:arie lived in Ignacio for a number of years.
11,.r. Brown was an e!1ployee cf El Paso Natural Gas.
They r:10ved to Lindrith
when he was transferred to the Lindrith Gas Field •
. The Brmms also o•.med a....'1d ope:-a ted the Ignacio Furniture Store,
after buying the business fros Lester Lunsford.
Hhile :-:rs. Valdez is taking her basic training- the Bro~•ms -,.,111 have
te~porary custcdy of ?aul an~ Beth. They ~ill be with their ~ether
L.:.tf;-r e.t :=-2.e: l:l2n.:.
Robert Toledo has been in Germany on vacation visiting friends.
He also spent a few days ·with Tim Pacheco who is stationed there with
the air force.

John & Bettye O I Ccnnell and ·fa~1ly of Ala1:iosa visited Freddie
Newton over the 7, 8, & 9th of Dece~ber. They attended wrestling
at Ft. L!::~·.'is C::.:llege. John ·is as3ista.i.7.t coach of ,,:restling at
~~a~ State College.
Jennifer Suzanne is a new addition to Freddies grandchildren,
her parents are Brad and Barbara aewton. Freddie plans to fly off
soon to ~akE her acquaintance.

l

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Thanksgiving this. 1979 was a snecial tiI:.e of far:iilies and friends
being together. In . spite of cold weather, snow, icy roads !:!any cam.e ho2e
or joined.. families in other areas for the day or the week.
Along with re5em.brances of things past or future pla.."1.s the ·highlight, no doubt about that, was the traditional dinner with the roast
turkey, chicken, ha~ or roast goose along with the stuffing, sweet
potatoes, cranberries anc pu~pkin or mince pie, perhaps served.later
in the day.
Football ga~es were on and viewed with mixed emotions depending
a lot on the vie~er's interest in football.
Canadians too celebrate Thanksgiving. For a good many years the
holiday ~as Eoved around to various dates in the fall season. It is now
set by law for the second l{ooday in October.

***********
The Patrick.s - Grace a..r1d. Pat ·were hosts at the Thanksgiving Day
dinner at their hor.e. Thc:ir guests included their daughter, granc.d.a~ghter
and great granddaughter, George and Laura ·whi tt and Justa, l{rs. Patricia
~rease, Dick and Heinie Gardner and l·~~. 1•1axine .Anderson.

***********
l•Irs. Christine Callison spent Thanksgiving day with her son anci
family, Claude and Trudi Callison and three children, at their home on
the Florida ~esa.

***********
The Karl Hauerts entertained on Thanksgiving Day in their new
a ttrac ti ve home. Enjoying the dinner with them were l·Ir s. Virginia
Russell and. Ers. Hazel :arake.

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Three of th£ Egger sons and their families were home for Thanksgiving with their parents, Chuck and Donna Egger. They were Charley
and Dawna Egger fro~ Salt Lake City, Utah. Donnie and Cindy Egger
and their son and daughter from Bloomfield and Kenny and Roxanne
Egger and their two sons fro□ Bayfield.
With all of them on Thanksgiving Day was Hrs. Egger's mother,
Mrs. Olive Dillon.

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~

Dan and Mary Shaughnessy joined Raymond and Pat deKay and
children for Thanksgiving Day in their new home on the Florida. l•'.esa.
Sno',\ kept the Shaughnessys from their original plans to be with
John and Marianna Glass in their new hone in Colorado Springs.
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HoTI'.e for Thanksgiving and it was a r ·e al surprise as Bob and
LaVerne Klus::::1a.n didn't know thei:- daughter, Twila ·would be here until
they arrived. 'i~-lila and her husband, Ror::a Haiver came for Thanksgiving
fro □ their ho:::e in Eldorado Springs, 1{l.ssouri.
They visited with the Bob and Charley iuusnan families until
heading back to Missouri on the sixth of Dece=ber.

***********
Thanksgiving was a day oostly of driving for Don and Lida Kl'atz
and no turkey either. They left here Nove~ber 18th going first to
St. Louis. 1han..lr.sgiving Day they were driving to ~fashington, D. C.
In Washington the rtev. Kratz officiated at the wedding service for
l,frs. Kratz's son and his bride.
The wedding was out door as it was a sur:nery day.
ServicEs in the Parish churches on the 25th were conducteQ by the
Rev. Willia!!l Hassler. ;,.:r. Hassler is the .Associate Synod Executive for
the Presbytery of ·..res tern Colorado. His hose is in Pueblo -:•.rest.

***********
Larry h"iseman ca'.I!e ho!2e fro!:1 his so'Jhor::ore studies at college in
Rangely to spend. the Tt.a..'1ksgi ving weskena. with his parents, the 'Ic12
Wisereans and_ other relatives. He left Su:iday to return to Rangel~r.

***********
The Christ::ias party for the r-'riendship Circle ~~eTI:.bers and guests
was in the Ignacio Church ar..ne~ with a silver tree and cedar greens
and red tablecloths.
The festivities began with a salad luncheon followed by the
installation of Circle officers for 1980.
They were installed by :=ula Preston.. The new offi-cers are:
President -Dorothy· Olbert - Vice-9resident - Heinie Gardner - Secretary
Elizabeth Riggin and Treasurer - Zvelyn Cra .-1ford. ~"Ts. Gardner was
the MC for the progr~"-J. ;,,hich included Christr::as m.usic, stories~ :poems
and recollections of Christ~as ~ast.
The Gifts around the silver tree were then exchanged.
The nroject for the Christcas gifts this year by the Circle was
making polyester lapro bes for the bro Bayfield. :rursing Ho~e s.
The first :rr:eeting in January will be on 'Jednesday, the ninth.
0

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The C. F. Pachecos had their Thanksgiving dinner in the evening
as their son Lrnest his wife Rose and daughter Andrea were driving
from Colorado Springs to spend the weekend with then. They had to
shovel 4 feet snow drifts fron their drive way that oorning to be
able to get the car out of the garage and getting out of to~n ~as
bad because of snow drifts, the rest of the ~ay the road was snow
packed but driveable. They left Sunday to drive back home.

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9
George R. Hams 93, died Honday, November 19th in l•~ercy Medical
.-,center.
He had been in quite good health until in recent months. He had
cancer surgery this fall.
Nr. Hams had many friends in this area. One thing he especially
liked to do was to come with his daughter for lunch at the SEnior
Center an6 see the people he knew.
George and his wife, Amy Belle moved to Ignacio to a ranch north
of tmm in 191+7. Previously they lived in Hager~an, tfow Mexico.
Hr .. Hams was a pharnacist in Hagerman.
After ~oving to Ignacio he worked for a time as a pharmacist in
the Ignacio Drug Store ·while }frs. Haybelle Britt was the owner.
He -was born in Hastings, Hichigan October 22, 1886. He was a
member of the Episcopal Church. Hrs. Hans died in 1970.
Hrs. Viola Lip comb of the fa."nily hcI!!e, survives and one grandson
and li.s f am.ily in New l·~t:xico and other relatives.
Services were held Wednesday, Nove~ber 21st from the Hood 11,ortuary
Chapel with the Rev. Donald Warner officiating. Interment was in the
Ignacio Ce~etery.

Hr. & 1-~s. Abenecio Hunoz and daughters Lillie, Crissie and Berna
went to Reno, Nevada to spend Thanksgiving -with Abe's brother Manuel
and family and his sister Cornia and facily.

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Leroy Salazar the caretaker at the Senior Citizens complex and his
little son Tracy were guests of Shelby S~ith and fa~ily for ~hanksgiving
dimmer.
Leroy's wife Dorothy ·was in the hospital.

RAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE FOLLOWING:
Dee Dee Garcia
Louie Valencia
Concie Cruz
Mary Shaughnessy
Russell Shock
~uice Ifaranj o
Christine Callison
Dan Shaughnessy
Manley Hott
Roger Cloud

Leonard Burch
Jessie Hott
Emmet Hott
Harvey Joy
Elliott Cloud
Ruth Snooks
Buelah Miller
Zelta Hott
Edgar Parrett