Sadie Archuleta Obituary

Durango resident Sadie Archuleta died after a 15-year battle with Parkinson's disease Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010, in Durango. She was 83.

Mrs. Archuleta was born to Andrew and Delphina Valdez on May 23, 1927, in Durango. She was raised in Durango and lived her entire life here.

Mrs. Archuleta lost her father when she was 14. She completed her education through the ninth grade, then started waitressing at local restaurants to help support her mother and seven siblings.

In 1944, she married Henry Szura. The marriage later ended in divorce.

On April 16, 1949, she married Arthur Archuleta in Aztec.

Her family said Mrs. Archuleta was a devoted housewife. She took care of her family by waitressing at numerous restaurants in town. In her spare time, she enjoyed baking, shopping, and visiting friends and family. Her brother nicknamed her "Uptown, downtown, all-around – Sadaah."

Mrs. Archuleta is survived by her husband of 61 years, Arthur Archuleta, of Durango; sons Andrew Szura of Durango and Arthur Archuleta Jr. of Bayfield; daughter, Kathleen Walsh, of Durango; siblings Ursula Barry of Durango, Cruz Valdez of Los Angeles and Mercedes Cates of Billings, Mont.; nine grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today, Aug. 10, 2010, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Durango. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, also at Sacred Heart. The Rev. Antonio Flores will officiate. Burial will take place afterward at Greenmount Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Hospice of Mercy, 1 Mercado St., Suite 270, Durango, CO 81301.