Leslie Elmer Hutton
Marriages
Rose Montoya
Obituaries
Steamboat Today - June 9, 2013
Leslie Elmer Hutton passed away May 10, 2013, after a long illness. Les was born June 21, 1929, in Mount Harris to Jim and Violet Lacy. His parents divorced and his mother married Richard Hutton, who adopted Les. Les grew up and attended school in Oak Creek.
Les joined the Navy in 1947; he received an honorable discharge in May 1950. He re-enlisted in 1951. He completed training as a medical corpsman and served aboard the hospital ship USS Consolation in Korean waters during the Korean War. He received letters of commendation from his commanders for his care of injured soldiers. He received an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps in 1954.
While home on leave, he met and married Rose Montoya. Uncertain of his career path after the military, he enrolled at the University of Colorado in the pharmacy program. He learned of an appliance repair shop for sale in Craig, and Rose and Les settled in Craig in 1956 after they purchased the repair shop. Les was an electronics pioneer. He scouted mountaintops in Western Colorado for the purpose of finding the right location to broadcast television signals to the folks in Western Colorado. For many years, Les maintained the TV translators, which meant spending holidays and weekends on mountaintops.
Les was very involved in the local Kiwanis Club. He provided the sound for the annual play for 38 years. He served a term as the president of the local club. He also served a term as the state lieutenant governor for the Kiwanis Club for this district.
A memorial service was held May 17, 2013, at The Journey at First Baptist church. Pastor Leonard Browning officiated. Honorary pallbearers were Larry Seip, John Allen, Kevin Peck, Pete Pleasant, Neil McCandless, Nick Studehar and all his fellow Kiwanians.
Les is survived by his wife, Rose, of Craig; son Danny, of Craig; daughter Vicki Duncan (Skip), of Craig; granddaughter Jennifer Darveau (Stan), of Craig; and grandson Brett Duncan (Elissa) and great-grandson Max Duncan, of Kansas City, Kan.; sister-in-law Mary Jane Montoya, of Craig; sister-in-law Mira Muirhead, of Florida; and numerous nieces and nephews.
