Josephine Owens Obituary

Josephine Vigil Small Owens, 96, left this earth peacefully on Monday, February 12, 2018 with her children by her side, to join her parents and be with her Lord and Savior in the glory of heaven. She was born to Jose Abran Vigil, a Basque sheepherder, and Bernarda de la Cruz Vigil, a homemaker and a psychic, on November 17, 1922 in Allison, Colorado where she was raised on a farm until the age of ten. The family moved to Durango so she and her siblings could attend public schools. After graduating from Durango High School she went into nursing at Mercy Hospital and then moved to Denver to work and attend nursing school. There, she met, and married, Staff Sergeant Robert E. Small. They returned to Durango to live and raise their three children, Diane, Allen and Odessa. The marriage later ended in divorce. Having been raised on a farm, Josie loved the outdoors and would go camping, hiking and fishing for a week or more with her children and second husband, Kenneth Owens. That marriage also ended in divorce. In 1964, after her son graduated from high school Josie moved to Golden, Colorado where she furthered her nursing education and worked at St. Anthony's Hospital until her retirement. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Emma (Vigil) Abeyta and John Vigil. Josie is survived by her partner, Dennis Murray, who has been by her side throughout the last 41 years and cared for her through good times and bad. She is also survived by her children, Diane E. Ballou of Eugene, Oregon, Allen P. Small of Durango, Colorado and Xavier Odessa Yvonne Small ("Odessa") of Sweet Home, Oregon, numerous grandchildren, great grand children, nieces and nephews. A rosary will be held at Hood Mortuary on Wednesday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m. and a funeral service and mass at St. Columba Catholic Church on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at Greenmont Cemetery following the funeral service. A private gathering for family members will follow the burial.