News
George “Elden” Duncan of Grand Junction died at home surrounded by his family on July 5 after a lengthy battle with colorectal cancer. He was 75.
Elden was a U.S. Army veteran, an independent long-distance truck driver, a heavy equipment operator, a business owner, a drilling foreman, a road builder in New Mexico, Colorado and on the north slope of Alaska and a diesel and auto mechanic.
He was born at home on Sept. 20, 1932, in Mosca, Colo., to Dorothy (Magee) and Raymond Duncan. He lived in Mosca, Rangely and Cedaredge during his childhood and was a graduate of Cedaredge High School.
He married Yonna (Swarnes) Maxfield, a widowed mother of two little girls, on Jan. 15, 1968, in the office of an LDS bishop at East Ely, Nev. Mrs. Duncan survives. He was previously married to and divorced Barbara Lanam, with whom he had a daughter. He and Yonna adopted one another’s daughters and added three more daughters and a son to their family. Elden and Yonna were the parents of seven children.
He lived with his wife and children north of Fairbanks, Alaska, and the family often wintered in Grand Junction until returning to Grand Junction full time in 1974. They moved to Homer, Alaska, in 1983 while he worked at the Prudhoe Bay oil field and then returned to Mesa County.
Elden was a member of the Grand Junction 6th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was affiliated with the Republican party.
Elden’s greatest joy was spending time with his family. He will continue to be his family’s greatest example and hero. He enjoyed camping, hunting, driving in the mountains and staying busy and productive. He was an exceptional heavy equipment operator. There was nothing he couldn’t teach himself how to fix or do with exceptional expertise. He will be remembered for his integrity, kind spirit, patriotism, generosity, sense of humor, love of history and unflagging hard work.
Elden is survived by his wife, Yonna; daughters Cindy (Bennie) Espinoza of Grand Junction, Wynona “Susan” (Vernon) Stockham Blomquist of Salem, Ore., Karen (Tom Smith) Duncan of Aztec, N.M., Peggy (Mike) Zagrzebski of Grand Junction and Carrie (Kelly) Couey of Silt; son James of Grand Junction; brother Ray (Carol) Duncan Jr. of Alaska; and numerous grandchildren and other family members.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 14, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Grand Junction Stake Center, 2881 Orchard Ave.
Interment at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado at 2830 D Road in Grand Junction will follow the services with military honors by Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard.
Callahan-Edfast is in charge of arrangements.
Elden requested that his family and friends visit their doctors to learn what cancer screening procedures they need and to schedule them when recommended. Donations to Hospice and Palliative Care, P.O. Box 60307, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
Elden was a U.S. Army veteran, an independent long-distance truck driver, a heavy equipment operator, a business owner, a drilling foreman, a road builder in New Mexico, Colorado and on the north slope of Alaska and a diesel and auto mechanic.
He was born at home on Sept. 20, 1932, in Mosca, Colo., to Dorothy (Magee) and Raymond Duncan. He lived in Mosca, Rangely and Cedaredge during his childhood and was a graduate of Cedaredge High School.
He married Yonna (Swarnes) Maxfield, a widowed mother of two little girls, on Jan. 15, 1968, in the office of an LDS bishop at East Ely, Nev. Mrs. Duncan survives. He was previously married to and divorced Barbara Lanam, with whom he had a daughter. He and Yonna adopted one another’s daughters and added three more daughters and a son to their family. Elden and Yonna were the parents of seven children.
He lived with his wife and children north of Fairbanks, Alaska, and the family often wintered in Grand Junction until returning to Grand Junction full time in 1974. They moved to Homer, Alaska, in 1983 while he worked at the Prudhoe Bay oil field and then returned to Mesa County.
Elden was a member of the Grand Junction 6th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was affiliated with the Republican party.
Elden’s greatest joy was spending time with his family. He will continue to be his family’s greatest example and hero. He enjoyed camping, hunting, driving in the mountains and staying busy and productive. He was an exceptional heavy equipment operator. There was nothing he couldn’t teach himself how to fix or do with exceptional expertise. He will be remembered for his integrity, kind spirit, patriotism, generosity, sense of humor, love of history and unflagging hard work.
Elden is survived by his wife, Yonna; daughters Cindy (Bennie) Espinoza of Grand Junction, Wynona “Susan” (Vernon) Stockham Blomquist of Salem, Ore., Karen (Tom Smith) Duncan of Aztec, N.M., Peggy (Mike) Zagrzebski of Grand Junction and Carrie (Kelly) Couey of Silt; son James of Grand Junction; brother Ray (Carol) Duncan Jr. of Alaska; and numerous grandchildren and other family members.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 14, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Grand Junction Stake Center, 2881 Orchard Ave.
Interment at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado at 2830 D Road in Grand Junction will follow the services with military honors by Grand Valley Combined Honor Guard.
Callahan-Edfast is in charge of arrangements.
Elden requested that his family and friends visit their doctors to learn what cancer screening procedures they need and to schedule them when recommended. Donations to Hospice and Palliative Care, P.O. Box 60307, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
