Obituaries https://tcr.durangoherald.com/section/obituaries/feed/ Latest local news from The Durango Herald. Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:28:04 -0600 en-us 30 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/frank-beard-drummer-of-boogie-rock-trio-zz-top-dies-at-77/ The band has sold more than 50 million records Fri, 21 Aug 2026 11:07:25 -0600 4BE44FD7-7C97-499E-91FD-D2044176E977 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/espn-co-founder-bill-rasmussen-dies-at-93-from-the-effects-of-parkinsons-disease-2/ This photo provided by ESPN Images shows co-founder Bill Rasmussen on the set of SportsCenter in Bristol, Connecticut, Oct. 6, 2005. Rich Arden/ESPN Images via AP LAND O’ LAKES, Florida – Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded TV sports giant ESPN after... Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:59:31 -0600 6B7D6994-793B-42FA-94AF-5DFAF793B07B https://tcr.durangoherald.com/hiroshi-okuda-who-led-toyotas-climb-as-a-global-automaker-dies-at-93/ Hiroshi Okuda, then, president of Toyota Motor Corp., smiles as he sits at the steering wheel of the “Aristo,” Toyota's remodeled sports sedan during a press conference at a Tokyo hotel, Aug. 27, 1997. Shizuo Kambayashi/AP File Photo Okuda also... Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:37:18 -0600 50374B4B-4657-4669-A871-34121AB7140D https://tcr.durangoherald.com/ben-jones-good-ol-boy-dukes-of-hazzard-actor-and-2-term-u-s-house-member-dies-at-84/ Cooter, actor Ben Jones, sits atop one of the 229 hotrods, named the General Lee, used in the show “Dukes of Hazzard” as ecstatic fan, Aliceson Johnson, of Charlottesville, Va., sits in the drivers seat in front of his store... Thu, 13 Aug 2026 15:17:44 -0600 9D87EB0A-96C6-4FD7-9233-468A963E267E https://tcr.durangoherald.com/don-nelson-second-winningest-nba-coach-who-won-5-titles-as-a-celtics-player-dies-at-86-2/ Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don Nelson speaks during a press conference before Game 2 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, June 8, 2025, in Oklahoma City. Kyle Phillips/AP File Photo Don Nelson, the... Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:23:30 -0600 83BA7359-88F2-4BB8-813B-27EC5F5B3A8D https://tcr.durangoherald.com/lloyd-robertson-longtime-anchor-of-canadas-top-tv-newscast-dies-at-92/ Robertson was voted the country’s most trusted TV journalist for 11 consecutive years Fri, 07 Aug 2026 10:04:14 -0600 5F23D8D2-C333-473D-8B41-B7B27D606BE7 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/kay-granger-first-republican-woman-from-texas-to-serve-in-the-house-has-died-at-age-83/ House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger, R-Texas, and her panel begin work on fiscal 2024 spending bills, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. J. Scott Applewhite/AP File Photo DALLAS – Kay Granger, the first Republican woman from... Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:40:02 -0600 8BD8FC3A-F9D4-4A12-9BAB-D1C3B5A2F278 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/beloved-author-benjamin-alire-saenz-dies-at-71/ Sáenz, who was born in New Mexico, was the first Latino PEN/Faulkner winner Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:49:40 -0600 2455A518-7426-449E-852A-FDEA5FAC3FAD https://tcr.durangoherald.com/sopranos-actor-vincent-pastore-dead-at-80/ He was known for playing mobsters and tough guys Wed, 05 Aug 2026 09:43:13 -0600 6D77AFE3-15DF-4F88-A230-BC8E08CFE830 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/tributes-memories-shared-as-community-mourns-jeff-kiraly/ Piedra Vista baseball coach passed away last weekend at age of 53 Sun, 02 Aug 2026 13:08:25 -0600 593C59CF-CDDA-46ED-B8DF-BD0D746CA57C https://tcr.durangoherald.com/former-chargers-linebacker-billy-ray-smith-jr-dies-at-64-family-announces/ Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. gestures during a public memorial service for football player Junior Seau at Qualcomm Stadium, May 11, 2012, in San Diego. Gregory Bull/AP File Photo LOS ANGELES – Former San Diego Chargers... Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:31:52 -0600 B64DF0B0-7CDC-486A-8EB4-E3C6480CD828 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/artist-betye-saar-whose-work-reflects-black-identity-dies-at-99/ Artist Betye Saar of Los Angeles at home on her back patio on April 22, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via AP Artist Betye Saar, whose work reflects Black identity, culture and spirituality, died Sunday morning,... Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:24:53 -0600 4C077C1D-7614-4673-ADBC-0AEECAE33FFA https://tcr.durangoherald.com/once-oscar-winner-and-irish-musician-glen-hansard-dies-in-motorcycle-crash/ Glen Hansard performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago's Grant Park on Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014. Steve C. Mitchell/Invision/AP, File LONDON – Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, who won an Academy Award for the 2007 film “Once,” died in a motorcycle crash on... Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:58:02 -0600 5BF2490A-A7AD-413A-9F94-D6D9718A50ED https://tcr.durangoherald.com/kevin-keegan-england-soccer-star-dies-at-75/ Keegan transcended the game with his celebrity status Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:58:06 -0600 C930F60D-EE53-4C10-817D-E5026577DF9F https://tcr.durangoherald.com/author-charles-gaines-of-pumping-iron-dies-at-84/ Gaines popularized the world of bodybuilding with the book Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:23:16 -0600 4DF5AAD9-60C9-4876-911A-D413F25588A8 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/clara-ester-activist-who-rushed-to-martin-luther-king-jr-after-he-was-shot-dies-at-78-2/ She later served as a deaconess in the United Methodist Church Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:54:21 -0600 E07F7650-21C8-42B5-819D-7BD853ED3CF6 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/kaylee-hottle-deaf-godzilla-actor-killed-in-car-crash-at-18-2/ Excessive speed is believed to be a factor in crash Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:15:53 -0600 526D0E70-B07E-40BE-BD54-3748B9C97400 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/duane-ward-farmington-high-athlete-and-toronto-blue-jays-championship-closer-dies-at-62/ New Mexico Sports Hall of Famer led FHS in baseball and basketball before setting career saves record for Toronto and earning two World Series titles Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:09:12 -0600 AEC8C62B-A830-4AC3-A052-24138E45686B https://tcr.durangoherald.com/brenda-fricker-the-first-irish-actress-to-win-an-oscar-for-my-left-foot-dies-at-81-2/ Fricker appeared in more than 90 films and television shows Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:39:28 -0600 30A96FCD-0517-4EA1-9F08-418E41F1CBF0 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/qatars-former-ruler-sheikh-hamad-bin-khalifa-al-thani-has-died-at-74/ The ruler transformed the tiny Persian Gulf nation into a global player Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:26:35 -0600 EC72672D-5BAD-4316-9845-86BD3639EC4B https://tcr.durangoherald.com/pat-oliphant-fearless-pulitzer-winning-political-cartoonist-dies-at-90-2/ This 1964 photo shows political cartoonist Pat Oliphant. The Denver Post via AP, File PHOENIX – Pat Oliphant, an influential political cartoonist known for creating caricatures of U.S. and world leaders, died Monday. He was 90. Oliphant died at his... Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:21:52 -0600 F8B9D9D6-3CDA-418F-865B-D52582C6462C https://tcr.durangoherald.com/lindsey-grahams-journey-from-a-pool-hall-to-the-heights-of-political-power-2/ Graham died Saturday, reportedly from a tear in his aorta Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:46:18 -0600 0C842134-4695-46AD-BBC9-ECA8A5B9ABA7 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/bonnie-tyler-who-topped-the-charts-with-epic-total-eclipse-of-the-heart-has-died-at-75-2/ Singer Bonnie Tyler performs her song “Believe in Me” during a rehearsal for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest at the Malmo Arena in Malmo, Sweden on May 17, 2013. Alastair Grant/AP File Photo Bonnie Tyler, the gravelly voiced,... Thu, 09 Jul 2026 14:46:13 -0600 BE0BC089-DD95-448A-9F53-0E6A249BACF4 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/george-e-johnson-sr-founder-of-a-pioneering-black-hair-care-business-dies-at-99-2/ His company was a national sponsor of and once owned ‘Soul Train’ Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:29:01 -0600 F694B0BE-8E36-492F-9C72-F4796C0B3ED2 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/abdul-ahad-momand-an-afghan-air-force-pilot-who-served-on-the-mir-space-station-dies-at-67/ FILE – The Russian space station Mir is seen from space shuttle Atlantis during a fly around after Atlantis undocked from Mir Thursday, March 28, 1996, in this image from television. (AP Photo/NASA TV) KABUL, Afghanistan – Abdul Ahad Momand,... Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:50:38 -0600 860E5B2E-1DD4-4D79-AD83-8CA9BF7F5B87 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/clive-davis-music-industry-starmaker-has-died-at-94-2/ Carlos Santana, left, and producer Clive Davis pose with their Grammys at the 42nd Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, on Feb. 23, 2000. Reed Saxon/AP File Photo NEW YORK – Clive Davis, the record company lawyer who became one of... Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:40:58 -0600 73F2D6BB-1AA2-4E25-9E0E-35FCF37EF749 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/former-federal-reserve-chairman-alan-greenspan-dies-at-100-2/ Economist Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006, is seen in his office in Washington, Friday, Oct. 18, 2013. J. Scott Applewhite/AP File Photo WASHINGTON – Alan Greenspan, the jazz-playing U.S. Federal Reserve chair who was... Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:35:42 -0600 E83AA0D7-0BF4-417F-98F5-DC09BA996EE6 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/gene-shalit-longtime-today-show-movie-critic-with-bushy-hair-and-massive-mustache-dies-at-100-2/ In this May 31, 2006 file photo, film critic Gene Shalit is seen during a toast with “Today” show cast and crew at the end of Katie Couric's final show, in New York. Richard Drew/AP File Photo NEW YORK –... Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:35:40 -0600 13EAC6F8-10D8-4A04-8466-C39AF18955E7 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/49ers-mourn-the-sudden-death-of-former-all-pro-linebacker-aldon-smith-at-36/ Smith was a troubled but talented pass rusher Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:59:46 -0600 3F729C11-7D06-41D7-9130-B3BA8006D744 https://tcr.durangoherald.com/gordon-s-wood-eminent-scholar-of-the-american-revolution-dead-at-92-2/ President Barack Obama presents a National Humanities Medal to author, historian and Brown University professor emeritus, Gordon Wood, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington on March 2, 2011. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP File Photo... Fri, 12 Jun 2026 10:33:04 -0600 94B6931F-2E11-4C0A-AF7F-6B3E10D67C31