Stanley Folsom Obituary

A member of a Durango pioneer family, Stanley Wade Folsom, died Thursday, June 2, 2011, in Durango. He was 93.

Mr. Folsom was born Sept. 25, 1917, in Durango, one of eight children born to Wade C. and Pearl G. Folsom.

His family counts eight generations here, beginning with Charles Bailey Folsom, Mr. Folsom's great-grandfather, who was one of La Plata County's earliest elected coroners, taking office in 1883.

His home was located at the site of the current Riverview Elementary School, and Folsom Place was a pasture and pond where the family raised cattle.

The next generation included Dr. W.H.C. Folsom, who arrived in Animas City at the age of 20 in 1877 and set up his dental practice. Dr. Folsom also was the school superintendent for the original Animas City School. Upon Durango's founding in 1880, he became Durango's first practicing dentist.

Mr. Folsom's father, Wade C. Folsom, was a well-known educator.

"Stanley lived a long and interesting life, he loved to travel, and there was no opportunity for adventure that he would turn down," his family said. "After graduating from the old Durango High School in 1934, he and a friend, Melvin Schaaf, with $5 between them, hitchhiked to Los Angeles to find work (and adventure). Unable to find a meaningful job with the Depression on, he put his boxing skills to work and fought bare-knuckle fights for $1 per round and milked cows on a dairy farm owned by the actors Laurel and Hardy to earn enough money to head back to Durango."

On another trip, Mr. Folsom and Mr. Schaaf met Ernest Hemingway while fishing a stream in Idaho.

In 1948, he married Melvina Noble in Durango. She preceded him in death after 33 years of marriage in 1981.

Mr. Folsom worked on the construction of the dams for Vallecito, Lemon and Navajo reservoirs and Jackson Lake. He was a truck driver for a number of years and later owned two full-service gas stations in Durango until his retirement.

After the death of his wife, Mr. Folsom met Viola Schaerer. They were close companions for 22 years, marrying Sept. 25, 1998, in Albany, Ore. The couple traveled extensively together, living for a period of time in Oregon before eventually returning to Durango.

Mr. Folsom was a lifetime member of the Durango Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. 507 and Faith Community Church of the Nazarene.

He enjoyed hunting, fishing and drawing.

Mr. Folsom is survived by his sons Kayo Folsom of Durango and Stanley (Folsom) Smith of Pueblo; daughters Wilma Zwygart of Aztec, Veronica Folsom of San Diego and Debra Brittain of Albany, Ore.; brothers Charles Folsom of Durango and Gene Folsom of Cortez; numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, 2011, at the Folsom Family Cemetery on the old Folsom Ranch off Florida Road. The family invites Mr. Folsom's family and friends to bring memories and stories. Lunch will be provided at the family picnic ground after the services.