Clifford Joseph Vontz
Marriages
Patricia Joyce Marts - June 3, 1947
In Indianola, Nebraska
Burial Details
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 8A - November 17, 2010
Clifford Joseph Vontz, 83 of
Clifton, Colorado, died Friday,
November 12, 2010 at the CLC
unit of Veteran’s Hospital in
Grand Junction, Colorado. Cliff
was born November 10, 1927, at
Ogallala, Nebraska to Marion and
Elda Vontz.
He spent his childhood in Nebraska
and was the eldest of six
brothers. He quit high school at age 17 to serve in the Navy during
WWII and was assigned to the carrier ship, the Hoggatt Bay where
he trained to be the ship’s pilot. He returned to Nebraska after the
war to finish high school, and from there went on to acquire his
bachelors and masters degrees from Western State College in Gunnison,
Colorado.
On June 3, 1947 he and Patricia Joyce Marts were married in St.
Catherine’s Catholic Church in Indianola, Nebraska. After earning
his degrees, he returned to Inianola, where he taught and coached
before moving to Hotchkiss, Colorado in 1957 where he spent the
remainder of his teaching and coaching career at Hotchkiss High
School. His teaching tenure also included the positions of assistant
principal and school counselor. His coaching career included track,
football, basketball and wrestling. He received the Coach of The
Year Award for Delta County School District. Upon his retirement
from the school district, he managed the orchard division of Westmoreland
Coal Company in Paonia, Colorado. Cliff was recognized
and awarded “The Pear Grower Award†by the Western Colorado
Horticultural Society in 1992.
He was a member of Immaculate Heart Catholic Church. Cliff was
an avid sports fan with a a particular fondness for his Nebraska
Cornhuskers. He enjoyed golfing, carpentry, playing cards and
fishing. His family wrote “Cliff lived his life with dignity, integrity
and honor. He led by example. He was a kind, gentle man and will
be missed greatly by his family and friendsâ€.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Patricia of Clifton, Colorado;
daughter, Cara Lynn (Bill) Dorn of Grand Junction, CO;
daughter, Sharon (Ralph) Wilson of Eugene, OR, and Mary Kay
Clark of Clifton, CO; six grandchildren; ten great grandchildren;
brothers, William Vontz of Indianola, NE; Ron Vontz of Phoenix,
AZ, and Tom Vontz of Button Willow, California. He is preceded in
death by his parents, and brothers, Larry Vontz and Phil Vontz.
A funeral Mass will be held at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church
in Grand Junction on November 22, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Interment
will be later in the VA Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the CLC VA
Medical Center, 2121 North Ave. Grand Junctin, CO 81501 - Attn:
Mark.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 8A - November 17, 2010
Clifford Joseph Vontz, 83,
Clifton, died Nov. 13, 2010, at a
veterans nursing home.
A rosary will be said at 7 p.m.
Sunday at Immaculate Heart of
Mary Catholic Church. Services
will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the
church. Burial will be at 3 p.m.
Monday at Veterans Memorial
Cemetery of Western Colorado.
Mr. Vontz was a coach and
teacher.
Survivors include his wife,
Patricia; three daughters, Cara
Lynn Dorn of Grand Junction,
Sharon Wilson of Eugene, Ore.,
Mary Kay Clark of Clifton; three
brothers, Bill of Indianola, Neb.,
Ron of Phoenix and Tom of
Button Willow, Calif., six grandchildren;
and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions to
Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
attention CLC, 2121 North Ave.,
Grand Junction 81501.
Grand Junction Free Press page 6 - November 19, 2010
