Obituaries

WILMA GRACE KATKO March 11, 1934 – May 17, 2022

Wilma Grace Katko, age 88, passed away peacefully on May 17, 2022.

On March 11, 1934, she was born in the backroom of an adobe home in Fort Garland, CO. Wilma was the last Chavez to pass from her family of seven children.

Wilma married the love of her life, Francis Joseph Katko, in Denver, CO., in 1955. She was a devoted wife and mother who divided her valuable time between family, work, and the Catholic Church.

After 26 years of devoted service in the Dietary Department, she retired from the Los Alamos Medical Center.

She had a love of music and enjoyed playing Read More

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BONNIE JOY DITLEVSEN PARKINSON Nov. 17, 1932 – May 11, 2022

Bonnie Joy Parkinson, 89, passed away May 11, 2022, in Washington City, Utah. It is with both sorrow and gratitude that we announce the departure of our beloved Joy who, in death, found refuge from the suffering brought upon her by congestive heart failure. The burden of our sorrow, which by definition is the loss of “joy”, was lightened significantly knowing that the beautiful soul we lost had found her everlasting peace. 

She was born Nov. 17, 1932 in Salina, Utah to Hans Peter Ditlevsen and Narvella Jensen. She married Joseph Lynn Parkinson Read More

CLAIRE LADISH June 7, 1943 – May 8, 2022

Claire Ladish, born June 7, 1943, passed away surrounded by her immediate family May 8, 2022. She was 78 years old. 

Claire was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island to parents Charles August Prairie and Estelle Prairie (née Guillette). She was the youngest of 7 children.

Claire was married to Joseph Ladish June 6, 1964 and the two raised their family in New Haven, Connecticut before moving to Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1974. 

Throughout her life Claire was a friend to all and touched all she met with  her motherly wisdom, deep love, incredible care and sharp humor. Read More

DONALD EWING MCMURRY Oct. 30, 1945 – May 7, 2022

Donald Ewing McMurry, 76 passed away on May 7, 2022, after an extensive period of health challenges. 

He was born in Alamogordo, NM to Finis Ewing and Kathryn Lois (McKinley) McMurry. He grew up in a large extended family in Alamogordo where he was the second youngest of thirteen children.

Don graduated from Alamogordo High School in 1964 and studied physics at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM before joining the US Navy in 1966. He was very proud of the seven years he spent in the Navy where he was a nuclear reactor operator aboard the USS Sunfish. Read More

LOIS JERILYN (BURNS) THORNTON Nov. 27, 1941 – April 19, 2022

Mrs. Lois Jerilyn (Burns) Thornton died peacefully in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, April 19, 2022, at the age of 80 years old.

Jerilyn is survived by her loving husband Carl A. Thornton of Corrales, New Mexico; daughter, Jennie Lois Thornton of Corrales, NM; son, C. Adam Thornton and his wife, Tammy Thornton of Corrales, NM; brother, Dennis Burns of Santa Fe, NM; grandchildren, Josephine Lois Dean, Brody Dean, Carson Thornton, Chase Thornton, and Caroline Thornton.

Jerilyn was born Thursday, Nov. 27, 1941, in Fort Worth, Texas, to C. E. and Read More

ANGELA KATHRYN DALY ANDERSON April 24, 1949 – April 30, 2022

Angela Kathryn Daly Anderson, 73, after a very long battle with colon cancer, died early in the morning on Saturday, April 30, 2022, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, with her sons and daughter-in-law present at her bedside.

She was born April 24, 1949, in Alton, Illinois, the daughter of Rosalind M. (Hohn) and Anthony W. Daly. She attended school in Alton, Illinois, at SS. Peter & Paul; in Webster Groves, Missouri, at Holy Redeemer; in Kirkwood, Missouri, at Ursuline Academy.

She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, Read More

BILL GILSON April 5, 2022

In Celebration of Bill’s Life:

He sits in a long hall by a comfy fire, a fireman’s helmet by one hand, a farmer’s hat by the other. The ancestors greet him with pride & welcome.

May his memory be a blessing forever. Bill Gilson was always a helper. He enjoyed doing things for other people and being part of a larger community. While shy about accepting public acknowledgement of his contributions, he was often there to lend what aid he could.

He could surprise you as there was always something more to learn about Bill; goat wrangler, audiobook aficionado, heated cat pillow, Read More

MARYANN ALLISON March 7, 1939 – April 21, 2022

I (husband Paul) will miss her immensely. She was born in Brooklyn to Helen and James Fanning, lived on Long Island and made life-long friends in school, graduated from Duquesne University in 1961, then went west to the University of Colorado in Boulder to get an advanced degree in anthropology.

I met her there just before moving to Los Alamos to start my new job. We courted long distance and married in August 1969, completing 52 years of marriage without too many complaints. We loved each other; this marriage was the best thing that ever happened Read More

RICHARD JOHN PETERS Oct. 15,1937 – May 3, 2022

Today we say goodbye to the most epic father that any family could ever have wished for. Richard had a zest for life that few people have ever had. He was born in California and was living in Pearl Harbor with his family when it was bombed. His family moved around quite a bit during his childhood including stops in Utah, Colorado, and Illinois. We loved hearing stories about all his youthful adventures that led him to be the man he was.

After graduating high school in California, Richard joined the army and served in the 101^st Airborne. He was a decorated sharpshooter Read More