I’ll take a look at 1962 this time around.
Jan. 3 – Martin Hillebrand caught a 3 pound rainbow trout measuring 22 inches long at Jackson reservoir. (His son, Marty, passed away three years ago.)
Jan. 5 – Kelly Bader began a week on crutches after the horse he was riding slipped and fell on icy ground.
Jan. 11 – William Decker passed away at the age of 76. He came to Mancos with his parents when he was four years old. At an early age, he began driving teams to haul logs to nearby sawmills. He married Sarah Halls in 1912. She passed away in 1945.
Jan. 15 – Oren Pilcher, Jr. was named to the Wigwam All American football team. It was the first time such an honor was awarded to a Mancos high school student.
Jan. 17 – Kenneth Brown was elected president of the Mancos Chamber of Commerce. Vernon Ellis was elected first vice president and Byron Brown second vice president. Board members elected were Merle Cox, John Paquin and Emory Lovett.
Jan. 22 – Marcia Smith Piccone passed away at age 82. She came to Mancos in 1887. Her relatives included Platt Hammond and Fern Ellis.
Jan. 25 – Lily Goff celebrated her 80th birthday. She was ill for a few months and was spending much of her time in bed. She was a resident of Mancos for 44 years before passing away in 1965.
Jan. 25 – Jack Riffey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Riffey, was transferred to the Air Force base at Cutbank, Mont.
In May, the following seniors graduated from Mancos High: Wayne Hamblin, Edna Fitzgerald, Arlo Robinson Robb, Mary Lewis, Vincent Ellis, Harriet McLaughlin, Oren Pilcher, Jr., Sandra Perkins, Susanne Halls, Charles Potts, Jack Smith, Michael Sue Dillon, Violet Arhens, Lyle Cox, Francille Buttrill, David McNeil, Ronald Ellis, Karen Pickens and Gary Humiston.
And a few things from 1963
Feb. 25 – Vosco Burnham passed away at age 86. Survivors included his wife, Myrtle, and a daughter, Ellen Paquin.
March 14 – Cyril K. Conway became school superintendent.
March 28 – Captain Darrel Ellis arrived at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey for assignment with the USAF support unit.
April 5 – The Mancos High School band did an excellent job at the Fine Arts Festival under the direction of Allen Snair. A superior rating was given the clarinet quartet that included Jeanne Goode, Shirley Honey, Linda Everett and Margaret (Margie) Bader.
May 6 – Worth Holder was reelected as chief of the Mancos fire department.
May 9 – The results of the school board election were announced. They were: Dr. Fred Reddert, Noland Alexander, John L. Paquin and Kenneth Wallace, none of whom were incumbents.
May 10 – There was only 7,058 acre feet in the Jackson Gulch Reservoir and the water commissioner was already cutting priorities.
May 30 – The following were among the seniors graduated from Mancos High: Jeanne Goode, Louana Nelson, Patricia Hamblin, Mary Pickens, Betty Robb, Linda Sena, Gary Towne and Walter Wright.
May 30 – George Menefee celebrated his 91st birthday. (He died in 1966 at age 94.)
June 20 – Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Patrick purchased the Mancos Times-Tribune. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Sprenger had owned and operated the paper for 22 years.
July 18 – Mary Wilson, born as Mary Willden, was selected to reign as queen of the Mancos Colorado Day festivities. Her first school teacher was Mrs. Charles B. Kelly, the mother of Ira Kelly.
Aug. 15 – Johnny Carson and his three sons vacationed at Lake Mancos Lodge.
Aug. 22 – A gasoline price war was in effect and gasoline was selling in Mancos for 26 cents per gallon.
Oct. 17 – Homecoming queen was Maurine Ellis, with attendants Karen Burns, Judy Everett and Shirley Honey.
Darrel Ellis is a historian of the Mancos Valley. Email him at dnrls@q.com.